Surface Integrity and Tool Wear in S2-GFRP Milling: Experimental and Statistical Evaluation of Cutting Parameters and DLC and TiAlN Tool Coatings

Abstract

In this study, the surface integrity of S2-glass fiber-reinforced polymer (S2-GFRP) composites during milling with carbide cutters was investigated using a two-phase experimental design, focusing on surface roughness (Ra), burr area, and tool wear (VB). In the first phase, using a Taguchi L9 design, the effects of coating type (uncoated, TiAlN, DLC), spindle speed (2000-6000 rpm), and feed rate (0,15-0,25 mm/rev) on Ra and burr area were evaluated. In this short machining range where tool wear was negligible, the optimal combination yielding the lowest Ra (approximate to 0.97 mu m) and the minimum burr area (approximate to 231 mm & sup2;) was determined to be 4000 rpm, 0,15 mm/rev, and the DLC-coated tool. Regarding the effect of tool material on Ra, the DLC-coated tool provided approximately 4 and 2 times better results than the uncoated and TiAlN-coated tools, respectively. In the second phase, experiments extended up to 130 passes with this optimal parameter set showed that Ra increased significantly with increasing VB, and the burr area exhibited threshold-like behavior. In particular, a sudden increase in Ra and the burr area was observed when the VB approximate to threshold of approximately 100 mu m was exceeded; partial regression analyses confirmed different burr-formation tendencies in the low- and high-wear regimes. The results reveal that DLC coating initially provides superior performance in S2-GFRP milling, but surface degradation accelerates after the critical VB threshold.