Delamination Analysis Using Digital Image Processing for Developing a Prediction Model for Drilling on GFRP Composite Laminates

Abstract

The growing demand for light weight materials for the application in the aircraft industries, aerospace industries, marine, sports and recreation industries has attracted the usage of fiber reinforced materials especially GFRP composites. Usage of these kind of materials are exponentially increasing because of its specific engineering characteristics like high strength to weight ratio. Drilling of these materials has been always a challenge because of its heterogeneous nature. Better hole quality is required for these materials for the assembly into components. In this work delamination analysis was attempted using digital image processing, experiments are carried out for 27 holes using full factorial design and it was observed that scanned images obtained using a flat bed scanner (HP, 1300 DPI) used for digital image processing, gives better visualization for delamination. The feed rate is the most influencing parameter out of the three process input parameters considered.