Development of a Novel Friction Model for Machining Simulations in Unidirectional Composite Materials

Constant coefficients of friction (COFs) are currently used in the literature to describe the contact mechanics between tool and workpiece for finite element (FE) machining simulation of carbon fibre-reinforced polymers (CFRPs). However, these are solely based on closed-loop tribology experimentation, which insufficiently represent machining conditions. To overcome this gap in the knowledge, this work proposes a novel experimental open-loop tribological testing method to produce a dynamic FE friction model for CFRP machining simulations. The newly proposed dynamic friction model is based on a function of fibre angle, contact pressure and slip rate, and it has been validated to both experimental results and constant COF FE simulations. The main aim of this article is to create a link between machining, tribology and FE simulation, by implementing cutting-edge tribological testing that results in highly accurate FE simulations. This dynamic model has been shown to improve the accuracy of open-loop tribological simulations, giving confidence in future implantation in CFRP machining simulations.