Drilling of CFRP by Al Matrix Functionally Graded Grinding Wheel with Diamond Grains

Abstract

Carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP) is increasingly used as a structural material in the aircraft industry due to its superior properties such as low weight, high strength, good toughness and so on. Drilling of CFRP is the most common post process of structural parts of aircraft. Recently, gyro-driving grinding wheel system has been developed as a new drilling system for CFRP. This system provides holes with high precision on CFRP without delamination and burr formation. In the gyro-driving grinding wheel system, a grinding wheel was used, instead of drill bits for drilling. In our previous study, Cu-bonded grinding wheel with diamond abrasive grains was fabricated by centrifugal mixed-powder method, which is an application of centrifugal casting. However, designed distribution of diamond grains in the grinding wheel cannot be obtained because of the influence of gravity on the mixed-powder set in the caster. In this study, Al-based grinding wheel with designed distribution of the diamond grains has been fabricated by the centrifugal mixed-powder method with preform.