The Analysis of Tool Wear in Milling CFRP with Different Diamond Coated Tool

Abstract

Carbon fiber-reinforced plastics (CFRP) are typical difficult-to-machine materials, which is easy to produce many defects such as burrs, dilacerations, layering in milling process. And selecting the appropriate cutting tool has become the key to machining CFRP with high quality and efficiency. In the paper, the machining principle of milling CFRP with new type end mill was analyzed. The diamond coating of general right-hand end mill, cross-flute router and fine-cross-nick router were used to cutting CFRP under the same cutting condition. Through the comparative analysis of the workpiece’s surface quality and tool wear, it concluded that: compared with right-hand diamond coated end mill, cross-flute diamond coated router or fine-cross-nick diamond coated router could effectively suppress the appearance of burrs and dilacerations; abnormal coating peeling appeared in the flank face of right-hand diamond coated end mill, forming the boundary wear, which accelerated wear failure; the flank wear of diamond coated cross-flute router and fine-cross-nick router were both abrasive wear. Due to having more cutting edge than cross-flute router in cutting process, the flank wear of fine-cross-nick router was slower, and the tool life was longer. So it was more suitable for cutting CFRP.