Effect of Delamination in Carbon Fibre Reinforced Polymer during Abrasive Water Jet Machining

Abstract

Delamination is a type of defect produced while machining composites or layered materials. Due to matrix crack, shear crack and bending crack delamination is caused. Delamination is usually a separation along a plane parallel to the surface as in the separation of a coating from a substrate or layers of coating from each other. The aim of this project is to explore the study of delamination in carbon Fibre/epoxy composites under abrasive water jet machining. An experimental investigation was held to study the effect of delamination due to abrasive water jet machining on carbon fibre reinforced polymer. Effect of various parameters such as transverse speed, standoff distance, abrasive mass flow rate and water pressure was analysed. Taguchi method was used for overall analysis of parameters. Effect of Kerf width in CFRP material and on fibre cut was analysed step by step. Further observation was done on scanning electron microscopes. It can affect the compression strength of composite laminate and it will slowly cause the composite to experience failure through the buckling. Here the composite of Carbon Fibre Reinforced Polymer is made using carbon fibers and epoxy resin. Further cutting of CFRP is done using Abrasive water jet machining and analysis of delamination at various phases of the material is done. Analysis is done at which parameters delamination is reduced to minimum.