End mills for composite materials: CFRP, GFRP, AFRP
The end mills for composite materials need a specific, dedicated design creating peculiar cutting geometries, Composite materials (CFRP, GFRP, AFRP, sandwich, honeycomb materials) are increasingly used in different sectors: aeronautics, automotive, shipbuilding, race components, industrial machinery (packaging, paper, robotics, food, pharmaceuticals) o in particular industrial applications. The machining of thin-wall panels requires specific technological challenges, for which dedicated tools have been developed.
- The cross-cutting geometry creates cutting forces directed inside the panel, thus avoiding the phenomenon of delamination.
- The low-helix, continuous-cutting geometry has been developed for contour milling and pocket milling.
- The innovative combined-cutting geometry is specifically studied for machining AFRP materials (Kevlar) and honeycomb structures, thus eliminating the phenomenon of inadequately cut fibers.
Milling composite materials
The tool range for milling composite materials includes, besides standard products, a large number of special tools to meet the customisation requirements of a varied and rapidly developing market. Drilling is one of the most widely used machining in composite-material structures. The tendency to peel-up and push-down delamination represents one of the most common problems. The variety of materials and machining methods, (manual, semi-automatic, assisted, CNC-machine drilling) makes it difficult to create a standard range. Silmax has a wide experience in drilling composite-material structures and panels in different fields. This experience is at its customers’ disposal by a wide selection of drilling tools, which is customised according to specific applications.
CVD coating
The Diamond coating is characterised by incomparable hardness, chemical inertness, thermal conductivity, which make it the ideal choice to machine highly-abrasive composite materials.
Polymeric material reinforced with fiberglass
From a structural point of view, this composite material is characterised by very high mechanical properties (corrosion-resistance, thermal isolation and good fireproof properties). On the contrary, the internal structure is not homogeneous and hard to machine.
Polymeric material reinforced with fiberglass
(Commonly called Fiberglass)
From a structural point of view, this material is characterised by high mechanical properties, such as resistance, flexibility and impermeability. This material is employed in the construction of ultra-light airplanes and hulls of small boats.
Polymeric material reinforced with aramid fiber
(Kevlar)
Kevlar fiber is a synthetic, aramid fiber, having high mechanical tensile strength as its main feature. Due to its characteristics of resistance, it is employed as a reinforcing fiber for the production of bulletproof jackets, equipment for extreme sports and components used in aircraft, watercraft and racing vehicles.