Assessment of delamination in composite materials: A review

Abstract

The perennial challenge for the industry is to make parts, assemblies and machinery lighter and more efficient. This has led to progressively wider application of composites due to their excellent strength, stiffness and corrosion resistance properties. Composite components are assembled predominantly by fastening, which makes drilling a common machining process for such components. Delamination of the component surface at entry and exit of the drill is a drilling defect frequently encountered. Assessment of the severity of the delamination is necessary for correction and improvement of the performance of the parts and assemblies. Over a period of time, several factors have been suggested as the index of delamination for comparison and control. Also, various techniques are being adopted to measure the extent and severity of delamination so as to calculate the assessment factor. This study aims to present and review the different means and methods for the assessment of delamination.