Titanium-reinforced glass fiber plastic main rotor blade beam drilling process optimization

Аuthors

Chigrinets E. G.

Don State Technical University, DSTU, 1, Gagarin square, Rostov-on-Don, 344003, Russia

e-mail: egchigrinets@gmail.com

Abstract

High-tension polymeric composite materials (HTPCM) are widely used in aviation industry due to their high strength-density ratio and modulus of rigidity; good shock-absorbing capacity; corrosion resistance and low thermal-expansion coefficient. HTPCM tooling, however, is associated with a number of difficulties. Its low thermal conductivity affects the heat balance: the main part of heat, about 90%, is concentrated in the cutting area and at the drill tool, whereas up to 70% of heat leaves the cutting area with chip scrap while tooling metals. This high temperature causes partial melting of polymeric matrix, tempering of tools and processed surface. Composites anisotropy of properties leads to differences in chip formation along and perpendicular to the reinforcing fibers and their high hardness causes increased wear of the drilling tool. Delaminations, caused by axial force and torque of the cutting process, are formed in the places of drilling tool entering and exit.

The purpose of this work is to study the impact of the structural and geometric parameters of drilling tools on the quality of the processed holes, productivity, dynamics and thermal physics of the high strength polymeric composite material machining — titanium foil reinforced glass fiber plastics.

Extra loaded polymeric composite constructions implement titanium foil reinforcing packs, allocated between the layers of reinforcing glass- or carbon ribbon.To provide required accuracy in size of apertures macro- and micro-geometry, elimination of tempering and delaminations of the material one has to use sharp-ground tools and carry out processing in stages. This work studied drilling process of fiber-glass laminate at various schemes of high-speed steel drill tools sharpening.

The work presents the results of processing rates optimization for the studied tools geometries; dependence of unevenness tallness parameters; the character and value of delamination in the places of drilling tool entering and exit, depending on the tools type and processing rates, as well as qualitative image of chip formation. Using the developed computerized real-time measuring system for power characteristics of drilling process, we found blunting criterion and efficient life of the cutting tools under study. The pyrometric registration data on average temperature in cutting area allowed perform finite elements modeling of thermal processes occurring while multilayer plastic, reveal the sources and directions of the thermal flows, and, finally, develop recommendations for technology improvements of apertures processing in glass fiber beams of main and steering rotors.

Keywords:

glass fiber reinforced plastic drilling, delaminations, thermal flows modeling, torque

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