Effect of the Fiber Orientation and the Radial Depth of Cut on the Flank Wear in End Milling of CFRP

In this study tool wear during CFRP milling is experimentally investigated to explore the optimization of various cutting condition. From the test machining, it was found that CFRP milling was conducted mostly through the brittle mode machining that creates chip with powder shape. Tool wear is originated from the flank wear generated by the friction force between flank face and machined surface as well as the cutting edge wear by an impact force of fiber cutting. The flank wear is focused on a fiber orientation as well as a friction distance of the flank face in this paper. Based on the results, the tool wear progression model is suggested considering the fiber orientation and the radial depth of cut. From the results, it was found that the fiber orientation greatly affects the flank wear which arises most severely at the parallel to the tool feed direction that induces larger friction force. Also, the radial depth of cut smaller than 10% of diametric engagement accelerates the flank wear due to the increase of friction distance. Using this correlation among parameters, wear prediction model with force equations was derived and estimation results sufficiently match with the wear measurement values.