Study on small diameter drilling in GFRP

In small diameter drilling with the drilling machine, the drilled hole quality of the printed wiring board (PWB), made of GFRP, is evaluated by investigating the surface roughness and the internal damage to the hole. An investigation of the damage is conducted by changing the number of drilled holes. Additionally, in laser drilling using a CO 2 source and a YAG source, the laser drilling process is clarified by observing the damage to the hole, and moreover the relation between the drilling conditions and the damage of the hole is obtained. In conclusion, it is shown that, in the case of the present drilling machine, the anisotropy of the hole surface roughness is able to be developed by the tool tip profile, and as the new process is of no contact drilling, the application of a laser beam machine using a CO 2 laser source is effective in the smaller diameter drilling in PWB's.