With the increasing demand for lightweight and high-performance drones, carbon fiber reinforced composites (CFRP), glass fiber composites (GFRP) and metal matrix composites (such as SiCp/Al) have become the core materials for drone structural parts due to their high specific strength and corrosion resistance. However, these materials are prone to problems such as delamination, fiber tearing and rapid tool wear during processing, which directly affect the reliability and production efficiency of the components. Carbide saw blade milling cutters (especially tungsten steel alloy saw blade milling cutters) have become key tools for solving these processing problems due to their high hardness, wear resistance and customizable design. This article combines cutting-edge industry technologies to explore the application strategies of high-performance saw blade milling cutters and wear-resistant saw blade milling cutters in the processing of drone components.
1. Processing Challenges of Composite UAV Components
Composite materials are made of fibers and matrices and have anisotropic characteristics. For example, when cutting carbon fiber composites, the angle between the fiber direction and the tool motion trajectory directly affects the cutting force distribution, which can easily cause interlayer delamination or fiber breakage. In addition, metal-based composites such as SiCp/Al aggravate tool wear due to the high hardness of silicon carbide particles, resulting in reduced surface quality. The main challenges include: Delamination and burrs: When the cutting force is too large or the tool is blunt, it is easy to cause material interlayer separation or edge burrs, affecting aerodynamic performance Rapid tool wear: Hard particles (such as SiC) in composite materials will accelerate tool edge wear and shorten tool life Thermal damage: Frictional heat generated by high-speed cutting may soften the resin matrix or cause deformation of the metal matrix, causing microcracks.
2. Core advantages of carbide saw blade milling cutter
Compared with traditional high-speed steel tools, tungsten steel alloy saw blade milling cutters (carbide material) show significant advantages in composite material processing: High wear resistance: Carbide (such as W6Mo5Cr4V2) can reach a hardness of 64-66 HRC, which can withstand the abrasion of carbon fiber or SiC particles and extend the tool life. Thin blade design: The thickness can be as low as 0.1mm or less, reducing cutting resistance and material loss, suitable for processing precision structural parts of drones. Customizable geometric parameters: By optimizing the rake angle, number of teeth and edge coating, the cutting force and chip removal efficiency are balanced to suppress delamination defects.
3. Optimization design strategy for high performance saw blade milling cutter
3.1. Tool geometry and coating technology
Thinning and multi-tooth design: The SGST series of indexable saw blade milling cutters launched by Iscar has a cutting width of only 0.8-1.2mm. With high-density teeth (such as J-type chip breaker inserts), it can improve cutting efficiency and reduce material tearing. Wear-resistant coating: TiAlN or diamond coating is used to reduce friction coefficient and reduce cutting heat accumulation. For example, the IC1028 insert with PVD coating can improve wear resistance by more than 30%. High-pressure cooling channel: For example, Iscar TGSF-JHP saw blade milling cutter directly sprays the cutting area through internal cooling holes to reduce temperature and inhibit built-up edge, which is suitable for stable processing of high-temperature alloys and composite materials.
3.2. Processing process parameter matching High-speed cutting:
The recommended cutting speed is 300-1000 m/min, combined with a small feed rate (0.05-0.15 mm/r), which can reduce cutting force fluctuations and heat-affected zones. Down milling process: When down milling, the tool cuts in from the maximum chip thickness, reducing the effect of cutting force on delamination and reducing the friction heat between the tool and the workpiece.
4. Application examples of wear-resistant saw blade milling cutters in UAV processing
Carbon fiber fuselage frame slotting: Use ultra-thin tungsten steel saw blades (thickness 0.15mm) with low-temperature micro-lubrication (CMQL) to achieve a cutting accuracy of ±0.02mm and a 50% reduction in delamination rate. SiCp/Al rotor bracket processing: Diamond-coated carbide milling cutters are used, the cutting speed is increased to 800 m/min, and the tool life is extended to 3 times that of ordinary tools.
Honeycomb sandwich structure cutting: The wave-edge design saw blade disperses the cutting force to avoid the collapse of the honeycomb core layer, and the surface roughness Ra is <1.6μm.
Carbide saw blade milling cutters have significantly improved the processing accuracy and efficiency of composite UAV components through material innovation, geometric optimization and process synergy. In the future, with the continuous upgrading of coating technology and cooling systems, wear-resistant saw blade milling cutters and high-performance saw blade milling cutters will promote UAV manufacturing to develop in the direction of higher reliability and lower cost.
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