Edge trimming of carbon fiber-reinforced plastic composites using rotary ultrasonic machining: effects of tool orientations

The superior properties make carbon fiber-reinforced plastic (CFRP) composites attractive in many applications. After CFRPs’ molding processes, additional machining processes are needed to produce final functional shapes with dimensional precision. Edge trimming is the primary process to cut the edge of CFRP composites. To reduce or further solve the problems in traditional machining processes, edge trimming of CFRP composites with rotary ultrasonic machining (RUM) has been proposed and conducted in this investigation. In RUM edge trimming processes, two different tool orientations (RUM edge trimming with tool end face and RUM edge trimming with tool side face) can be performed. The comparisons of machining performance and machined surface quality between these two different RUM edge trimming processes have been conducted. Smaller ultrasonic vibration amplitude in RUM using tool end face or larger ultrasonic vibration amplitude in RUM using tool side face produces smaller surface roughness. Lower feeding-directional cutting force, lower normal cutting force, and lower resultant force are generated in the process using tool side face. RUM using tool end face produces smaller surface roughness, smaller debris width, microcracking, flowed matrix on machined CFRP surfaces, etc.