Wear Mechanisms and Wear Model of Carbide Tools during Dry Drilling of CFRP/TiAl6V4 Stacks

The present contribution on tool wear during the drilling of carbon fiber composite materials (CFRP)/Ti stacks intends to determine (i) if the adhesion of titanium to carbide is mechanical or chemical, (ii) the possible diffusion path, (iii) if the titanium is the only element involved in the adhesion and (iv) the role of the CFRP in this wear. The overall tool wear is not the sum of the wear in each material and there is a multiplicative effect between them. It has been pointed out that the maximum temperature reached during drilling is higher than 180 °C, 400 °C and 750 °C respectively in the CFRP and Ti plates alone and in the Ti part of the stack. As tungsten carbide CW is not in equilibrium with titanium above 250 °C, the diffusion path is CW/(Ti,W)C/Ti as confirmed by Auger analysis. For temperatures above 500 °C, (Ti,W)C becomes very sensitive to oxidation allowing a friable oxycarbide (Ti,C,O) to form, which explains the erosion of the tool. The CW is therefore the weakest link in the drilling of CFRP/Ti stacks. Improving the performance of the tool involves the use of a coating, the development of a tool material having low chemical affinity with Ti and/or the use of cryogenic lubricant.