Challenges associated with drilling of carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) composites-A review

Carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) has been in high demand over the last few decades, especially in the aircraft manufacturing industry, due to their superior properties. However, drilling of CFRP materials is more complicated than common metal due to their exceptional anisotropic and non-homogenous features. This unique microstructure often leads to drilling-induced defects such as delamination, thermal damage and burr formation which compromises the structural integrity. Therefore, a good understanding of this composite material is required to realize its full potential. This review paper summarizes the knowledge available in literature on drilling of CFRP and their outcomes are compared comprehensively in a simple way. It covers key aspects such as drilling mechanism, cutting parameters and tool geometries for conventional drilling. Also, drilling-induced damages and potential solutions for those problems are addressed and covered in this paper