Experimental study on trepanning drilling of the ceramic composite armor using a sintering diamond tool

Laminated ceramic composite armors made of engineering ceramics, fiber-enforced composite, and lightweight alloy are expected to be used widely in armor protection area. However, secondary machining is still a problem for the distinct properties of composing materials, and up to now, few reports can be found out about machining technology. In this work, an experimental study on drilling a typical laminated ceramic composite armor by using a special sintering diamond thinwall trepanning tool has been carried out deeply. To improve the machining efficiency, process parameters including the spindle speed and the axial force have been optimized through drilling experiments. Moreover, the three phases of the whole drilling process of the typical ceramic composite armor is proposed, and the machining mechanism and chip forms in each phase have been analyzed. Also, diamond tool skidding phenomena whether at hole exit or during drilling middle engineering ceramics have been explored, and the skidding mechanisms are presented. In addition, the surface quality of a hole wall machined has been studied, and an advisable measure is given. Results achieved in this paper can provide a technical base for diamond trepanning tool drilling similar laminated ceramic composite armors.