The popularity of composite materials is continuously\ngrowing with new varieties being developed and\ntested with different machining processes to establish their\nsuitability. Destructive as well as non-destructive methods,\nsuch as ultrasonics, X-ray radiography and eddy-current,\nhave previously been used to ensure that the combination\nof particular machining methods and composites provide\nthe required quality that can allow the required lifespan\nof the final product. X-ray computed tomography (CT) is\napplied as a novel method in this paper to obtain quantitative\ndata about the inner and outer structures of carbon fibre\nreinforced polymer (CFRP) drilled holes providing more\ninformation than any other non-contact and non-destructive\nevaluation. This is combined with precise measurements\nfrom optical CMM and image processing for a full analysis\nfor the entire part. This method can provide accurate\nmeasurements for all the layers of the CFRP and very little\ninteraction from the operator minimising the human error.\nThe method complies with VDI/VDE 2630 standard and\nthe quality of the acquired measurements is assured. The\nresults can assist in establishing the best machining process,\nprovide accurate measurements of diameter, circularity and\npositioning of the hole and information about delaminated\nareas.
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