Generation of microholes on GFRP composite using ES-µ-ECDM system

Microfeatures fabrication on FRPs is very essential nowadays because of its growing demand in various industries like aerospace, automobile, space, marine, etc. Glass fiber reinforced plastic (GFRP) composite is one among the FRPs that has many potential applications with extraordinary physical, chemical and mechanical properties. Generation of microholes on GFRP composite has gained its pace in recent years because of its applications in circuit boards and filters in biomedical applications. This study focuses on the generation of microholes in GFRP composite using an in-house developed electrolyte-sonicated micro-electrochemical discharge machining (ES-µ-ECDM) system. The process parameters voltage (V), concentration (wt%), and feed rate (µm/s) are selected at three levels for performing experiments using FCC-RSM modeling. The machining responses material removal rate (MRR) and overcut (OC) are analyzed. A RSM-based regression model is developed, and a multi-objective optimization using the MOJAYA algorithm is employed to obtain a set of non-dominated Pareto optimal solutions. The Pareto optimal solution set showed a feed rate of 5 µm/s should be employed for better MRR and OC. The SEM micrographs have shown a feed rate of 5 µm/s produced smooth surfaces at voltages and concentrations less than 55 V and 17.5 wt%, respectively.