Optimization of Drilling Parameters of Carbon Fiber Composites Using RSM based Desirability Function

Abstract

This paper deals with the drilling of Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymer (CFRP) composite filled with Carbon Nano Tube (CNT) using Response Surface Method (RSM) based desirability function. In drilling of hybrid metal matrix CFRP composites, excess thrust force and burr height degrades the performance of composite. Therefore, thrust force and burr height of the composite to be minimized in order to improve the performance of the hybrid metal matrix composite. Hence, thrust force and burr height are factors being considered in the present investigation are the major responses to be minimized using RSM based Desirability function. Four important input factors are considered such as drilling speed, feed rate, percentage of CNT and cone angle of drill bit to analyze the performance of drilling process. The results showed that, feed rate is highly influential parameter which influences thrust force and burr height in hybrid metal matrix composites. During drilling operation, due to mutual rubbing of CNT abrasive particles causes extensive surface damages like voids, cracks and fiber pullouts. ANOVA result indicates experimental data are well correlated at 95 % confidence interval and this technique can be very much useful and reliable for predicting the drilling parameters of hybrid CFRP metal matrix composite.