High-efficiency compensation method for surface profile errors in grinding CFRP circular cell honeycombs

Abstract

In the realm of composite materials, the machining accuracy of Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymer (CFRP) circular cell honeycombs plays a critical role in determining the performance of sandwich components. However, due to the discontinuous nature and relatively weak stiffness characteristics of this material, achieving precise control over the complicate surface profile accuracy becomes a tough task, often accompanied by the problem of low processing efficiency. This study proposes a novel topological hierarchy-based toolpath strategy specifically designed for the grinding process, combined with compensating CFRP circular cell honeycomb surfaces. The proposed methodology involves sequentially processing each circular cell, wherein those cells are treated as discrete units arranged within a two-dimensional plane. To enhance the surface profile accuracy of the workpiece while maintaining high processing efficiency, a compensatory machining approach has been employed. Based on this approach, algorithms for the extraction of the discontinuous compensatory machining regions have been subsequently developed. Consequently, an optimized toolpath and a serialized machining process has been established, enabling the efficient and high accuracy grinding of the CFRP circular cell honeycombs. Experimental verifications demonstrate that the proposed method achieves a significant improvement in machining efficiency and successfully confines the surface profile error within a tolerance of 20 μm. Additionally, the peak-to-valley on cross-section lines after compensatory machining decreases from 0.20 to 0.05 mm. Overall, this innovative method presents a practical solution for the fabrication of large-scale honeycomb sandwich components, thereby making significant contributions to the field of advanced composite material machining.

Graphical abstract

Keywords

CFRP circular cell honeycomb / hierarchical topology-based toolpath / surface profile accuracy / compensatory machining

References

[1] Tan G , Liu K , Duan X , Wang Q , Zhang D , Yang D , Niu D . Configuration investigation, structure design and deployment dynamics of rigid-reflector spaceborne antenna with deviation-angle panel. Sensors, 2024, 24(2): 385

[2] Cheng X , Liu J , Wang J , Jiao J . Machining holes in CFRP with laser “drilling + boring” hybrid technique. Materials and Manufacturing Processes, 2025, 40(3): 446–457

[3] Wehr T , Kubota T , Tzeremes G , Wallace K , Nakatsuka H , Ohno Y , Koopman R , Rusli S , Kikuchi M , Eisinger M , Tanaka T , Taga M , Deghaye P , Tomita E , Bernaerts D . The EarthCARE mission – science and system overview. Atmospheric Measurement Techniques, 2023, 16(15): 3581–3608

[4] Hussein R D , Ruan D , Lu G , Sbarski I . Axial crushing behaviour of honeycomb-filled square carbon fibre reinforced plastic (CFRP) tubes. Composite Structures, 2016, 140: 166–179

[5] Vijayan D S , Sivasuriyan A , Devarajan P , Stefańska A , Wodzyński A , Koda E . Carbon fibre-reinforced polymer (CFRP) composites in civil engineering application—a comprehensive review. Buildings, 2023, 13(6): 1509

[6] Osa-Uwagboe N , Silberschimdt V V , Aremi A , Demirci E . Mechanical behaviour of fabric-reinforced plastic sandwich structures: a state-of-the-art review. Journal of Sandwich Structures & Materials, 2023, 25(5): 591–622

[7] Diniță A , Neacșa A , Portoacă A I , Tănase M , Ilinca C N , Ramadan I N . Additive manufacturing post-processing treatments, a review with emphasis on mechanical characteristics. Materials, 2023, 16(13): 4610

[8] Cho S Y , Ho D H , Jo S B , Cho J H . Direct 4D printing of functionally graded hydrogel networks for biodegradable, untethered, and multimorphic soft robots. International Journal of Extreme Manufacturing, 2024, 6(2): 025002

[9] Tian J , Kang R , Dong Z , Liu Z , Guo D , Bao Y . Multi-scale machining damages of CFRP circular cell honeycomb during end face machining. Journal of Manufacturing Processes, 2023, 86: 282–293

[10] Mahesh V , Mahesh V , Ponnusami S A . FEM-ANN approach to predict nonlinear pyro-coupled deflection of sandwich plates with agglomerated porous nanocomposite core and piezo-magneto-elastic facings in thermal environment. Mechanics of Advanced Materials and Structures, 2024, 31(19): 4551–4574

[11] Safaei B , Chukwueloka Onyibo E , Goren M , Kotrasova K , Yang Z , Arman S , Asmael M . Free vibration investigation on RVE of proposed honeycomb sandwich beam and material selection optimization. Facta Universitatis Series: Mechanical Engineering, 2023, 21(1): 31–50

[12] Li X , Li L , Yang Y , Zhao G , He N , Ding X , Shi Y , Fan L , Lan H , Jamil M . Machining deformation of single-sided component based on finishing allowance optimization. Chinese Journal of Aeronautics, 2020, 33(9): 2434–2444

[13] Dong Z , Wang Z , Tian J , Kang R , Bao Y . Investigation on tearing damage of CFRP circular cell honeycomb in end-face grinding. Composite Structures, 2023, 325: 117616

[14] Wang Y , Zuo Y , Jiang S , Liu H , Li J , Zhang J . Analysis of the cutting force of superalloy honeycomb core with ice fixation. Journal of Manufacturing Processes, 2023, 108: 408–417

[15] Almesmari A , Baghous N , Ejeh C J , Barsoum I , Abu Al-Rub R K . Review of additively manufactured polymeric metamaterials: design, fabrication, testing and modeling. Polymers, 2023, 15(19): 3858

[16] Sun J , Kang R , Guo J , Dong Z , Wang Y . Study on machining quality of aluminum honeycomb in ultrasonic cutting by disc cutter. Journal of Manufacturing Science and Engineering, 2023, 145(5): 051009

[17] Yimam D T , Liang M , Ye J , Kooi B J . 3D nanostructuring of phase‐change materials using focused ion beam toward versatile optoelectronics applications. Advanced Materials, 2024, 36(23): 2303502

[18] Jeong G S , No D Y , Lee J , Yoon J , Chung S , Lee S . Viscoelastic lithography for fabricating self-organizing soft micro-honeycomb structures with ultra-high aspect ratios. Nature Communications, 2016, 7(1): 11269

[19] Choi S H , Cheung H H . A topological hierarchy-based approach to toolpath planning for multi-material layered manufacturing. Computer Aided Design, 2006, 38(2): 143–156

[20] Ju K , Duan C , Kong J , Chen Y , Sun Y . Clamping deformation of thin circular workpiece with complex boundary in vacuum fixture system. Thin-walled Structures, 2022, 171: 108777

[21] Xiong L , Molfino R , Zoppi M . Fixture layout optimization for flexible aerospace parts based on self-reconfigurable swarm intelligent fixture system. International Journal of Advanced Manufacturing Technology, 2013, 66(9–12): 1305–1313

[22] Pan M , Tang W , Xing Y , Ni J . The clamping position optimization and deformation analysis for an antenna thin wall parts assembly with ASA, MIGA and PSO algorithm. International Journal of Precision Engineering and Manufacturing, 2017, 18: 345–357

[23] Ma J, Jia Z, Wang F, Wang L, Xu Q. Sub-regional process method with variable parameters for parts with rapid change of local geometric feature. Journal of Mechanical Engineering, 2015, 51(11): 109 (in Chinese)

[24] Zhang Z , Cai Y , Xi X , Wang H . Non-uniform machining allowance planning method of thin-walled parts based on the workpiece deformation constraint. International Journal of Advanced Manufacturing Technology, 2023, 124(7–8): 2185–2198

[25] Ma J , He G , Liu Z , Qin F , Chen S , Zhao X . Instantaneous cutting-amount planning for machining deformation homogenization based on position-dependent rigidity of thin-walled surface parts. Journal of Manufacturing Processes, 2018, 34: 401–411

[26] Soori M . Deformation error compensation in 5-axis milling operations of turbine blades. Journal of the Brazilian Society of Mechanical Sciences and Engineering, 2023, 45(6): 289

[27] Zou X , Zhao X , Li G , Li Z , Hu Z , Sun T . An on-machine error compensation method for an ultra-precision turning machine. Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers Part B, Journal of Engineering Manufacture, 2019, 233(5): 1608–1613

[28] Qin Y , Kang R , Wang Y , Sun J , Dong Z . A form error evaluation method of honeycomb core surface. Measurement, 2022, 201: 111667

[29] Wu L , Wang A , Wang K , Xing W , Xu B , Zhang J , Yu Y . Adaptive optimization method for prediction and compensation of thin-walled parts machining deformation based on on-machine measurement. Sensors, 2024, 24(2): 613

[30] Li Z , Dai Y , Guan C , Yong J , Sun Z , Du C . High-precision machining method of weak-stiffness mirror based on fast tool servo error compensation strategy. Micromachines, 2021, 12(6): 607

[31] Makudapathy C , Sundaram M . High aspect ratio machining of carbon fiber reinforced plastics by electrical discharge machining process. Journal of Micro and Nano-Manufacturing, 2020, 8(4): 041005

[32] Chen Y . New approaches for calculating Moran’s index of spatial autocorrelation. PLoS One, 2013, 8(7): e68336

RIGHTS & PERMISSIONS

Higher Education Press