Drilling performance of nano-diamond bonded SiC composite abrasives for CFRP laminates by dual-axis grinding wheel system

Abstract

The design and fabrication of nano-diamond (ND) bonded silicon carbide (SiC) composite material were conducted as an attempt to obtain better drilling performance of SiC abrasives. The ND/SiC composite abrasives were fabricated by mechanical bonding of the NDs on the surface of SiC abrasives with the use of dry particle composing machine together with amorphous silica as a bond material. A comparative study on drilling performance for carbon fiber-reinforced plastic (CFRP) laminates by the SiC abrasives and ND/SiC composite abrasives was performed with dual-axis grinding wheel system. Hole-qualities such as roundness and roughness were improved by using the ND/SiC composite abrasives. Enhanced drilling performance of the ND/SiC composite abrasives was also obtained in terms of feed rate dependence of the thrust force. The ND/SiC composite abrasives could make holes with lower thrust force at higher feed rate, compared with the SiC abrasives due to the enhanced self-dressing effect together with the original drilling performance of the ND abrasive as synergetic effect caused by interfacial design between the ND/SiC composite abrasives and metal matrix in the grinding wheels. These results indicate the new controlling method of holding force of abrasive grains in metal bonded grinding wheel.

Keywords:

• Nano-diamond
• SiC
• composite abrasive
• metal-matrix composites (MMCs)
• machining
• carbon fiber-reinforced plastic (CFRP)

Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the Regional Innovation Cluster Program (Global Type) “Tokai Region Nanotechnology Manufacturing Cluster” through the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) of Japan.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology.