Abstract In this study, an experiment has been conducted on the mechanical properties and machinability of nanoclay-filled glass fiber reinforced plastic composites. GFRP composites with 0, 1, 3, and 5 wt% nanoclay contents have been prepared and tested for density, tensile, and flexural properties based on ASTM procedures. Results show improved tensile and flexural strengths and moduli upon adding nanoclay, with the best results at 3 wt% nanoclay. The machinability experiments were carried out using CNC milling, and the influence of nanoclay reinforcement, spindle speed, feed rate, and cutting depth on the surface roughness (Ra) and material removal rate (MRR) was investigated using response surface methodology based on Box–Behnken design. The results of ANOVA confirmed that the proposed models were statistically significant. The nanoclay reinforcement, spindle speed, feed rate, and cutting depth were found to have a major influence on surface roughness and MRR, respectively. The multi-response optimization procedure revealed that the optimal machined layer at moderate nanoclay and spindle speed could minimize the surface roughness while maximizing the productivity. This paper offers conclusive evidence that the controlled nanoclay reinforcement improves the mechanical and machinability properties of GFRP composite materials.
Jadhao et al. (Mon,) studied this question.