Experimental thrust forces and delamination analysis of GFRP laminates using candlestick drills

Drilling is usually performed using twist drills while assembling the composite components. However, it is necessary to adopt appropriate tool as the risk of delamination damage is high. Many researchers have performed experimental and theoretical study concerning drilling-induced delamination damage in composites utilizing special drills. The article performed drilling experiments of glass fiber reinforced plastic laminates utilizing candlestick drills. Ten candlestick drills with different drill tip geometries were compared in thrust forces and push down delamination. The results revealed the drilling behavior of the outer cutting edges and the outer drill tips for candlestick drill, and also indicated that the push down delamination depended on exit thrust force instead of maximum thrust force. What is more, thrust forces and push down delamination were significantly reduced when holes were produced using reasonable candlestick drill tip geometry. Finally, the analysis was useful for selecting appropriate candlestick drill tip geometry and conducting candlestick drill tip geometry optimization.