Investigation of optimum cutting parameters and tool radius in turning glass-fiber-reinforced composite material

Glass-fiber-reinforced composite materials (GFRPs) are used widely in various fields of engineering. Turning is the principal process conducted on these materials for obtaining minimum surface roughness. Machining of GFRP materials is different from traditional style due to their inhomogeneous and anisotropic structures. Optimum machining parameters for specific GFRP materials need to be ascertained for perfect machining. In this study, the influence of cutting parameters and insert radius on the cutting force and surface roughness of GFRP material during machining was investigated. For measuring main cutting force, a three-component piezoelectric crystal type of dynamometer was used. Cutting force and surface roughness were experimentally measured through longitudinal axes of the GFRP material. Through this study, it was observed that high cutting speeds and low feed rates provide the best surface quality in the turning process of GFRP composite materials.