On the temperatures developed in CFRP drilling using uncoated WC-Co tools Part I: Workpiece constituents, cutting speed and heat dissipation

This work investigated the influence of the material properties and cutting speed on the heat dissipation in the drilling of carbon fibre reinforced plastic (CFRP) composites using uncoated WC-Co tools. The first stage of the investigation compared the heat dissipation in drilling three different CFRP systems by measuring the temperatures developed at different distances around the borehole using thermocouples and an infra-red camera. The second stage studied the influence of cutting speed on the maximum temperatures developed in the workpiece in drilling a selected CFRP system in a cutting speed range from 50 to 200 m/min. The cross-linking density of the polymer matrix and the degree of crystallinity and structure of the carbon fibres exhibited a significant influence on the overall temperature and on the heat dissipation, whereas 150-200 m/min cutting speeds yielded higher concentration of heat, compared to 50-100 m/min cutting speeds.