The Effect of Lubricant and Nanofiller Additives on Drilling Temperature in GFRP Composites

Glass fiber-reinforced polymer (GFRP) composites are highly susceptible to thermal damage during machining, which can compromise their structural integrity and final quality. This study examines the efficacy of graphene and wax additives in reducing drilling temperatures in GFRP composites. Nine unique samples were manufactured with varying weight percentages of wax (0%, 1%, 2%) and graphene (0%, 0.25%, 2%). Drilling experiments were performed on a CNC milling center under a range of cutting parameters, with temperature monitoring carried out using an infrared thermal camera. A hierarchical cubic response surface model was employed to analyze thermal behavior. The results indicate that cutting speed is the dominant factor, accounting for 67.28% of temperature generation. The formulation containing 2% wax and 0% graphene achieved the lowest average drilling temperature (64.64 °C), underscoring wax’s superior performance as both a lubricant and heat sink. Although graphene alone slightly elevated median temperatures, it substantially reduced thermal variability. The optimal condition for minimizing thermal damage was identified as 2% wax combined with a high cutting speed (200 mm/min), providing actionable insights for industrial process optimization.