Investigation of drilling of kenaf fiber reinforced composites having different origation angles

Synthetic-based composite materials are widely used because of their many advantages. However, these composite materials increase the consumption of fossil fuels and greenhouse gas emissions. Therefore, engineers and researchers have turned to the development of ecologically compatible and environmentally friendly products. As a result of this, natural fiber reinforced composites have started to be preferred instead of synthetic-based composites. Reinforcing elements used in natural composites are obtained from plants, animals and minerals. One of the fibers obtained from plant origin is kenaf. In this thesis, kenaf fiber reinforced polymer (KETP) composites with different orientation angles (0°/90°, 30°/-60° and ±45°) were produced using the vacuum infusion method. First, the tensile damage load of the produced composites was determined. Then, the drilling of KETP composites was investigated. The effects of drilling parameters such as spindle speed and feed on the cutting force, deformation factor and cutting temperature were experimentally investigated in drilling of KETP composites. From the tensile tests of KETP composites with 0°/90°, 30°/-60° and ±45° orientation angles, the highest tensile strength was obtained from 0°/90° KETP composites. It was determined that the cutting forces formed in the drilling of KETP composites were affected by the spindle speed and feed values. While the cutting forces decreased with the increase of the spindle speed, the cutting forces increased with the increase of the feed. The lowest cutting force was obtained from the drilling of KETP composites having an orientation angle of 30°/-60°, while the highest cutting force was obtained from the drilling of KETP composites having an orientation angle of ±45°.Cutting temperature and delamination factor increased with increasing spindle speed and feed. High feed and spindle speed cause an increase in the deformation in the hole region. The delamination factor is also affected by the orientation angles of composite materials. The lowest delamination factor was obtained in the drilling of the KETP composite with 30°/-60° orientation angle.