Laser machining of carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) – progress and challenges

Carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) is increasingly used in the aerospace, automotive and other industrial fields. The heterogeneous/anisotropic structure, high abrasiveness of CFRP poses significant challenges for its high-quality machining. As a non-contact machining method, laser machining offers advantages such as high precision, no tool wear, and ease of automation. However, the existence of heat affected zone, sidewall taper, micro-defects and low machining efficiency constrains the advancement of CFRP machining. This paper systematically analyzes recent advancements in laser machining of CFRP, provides an analysis of industrial patent trends and academic research outputs to identify technology gaps, summarizing the mechanisms of material removal, defect formation, and strategies for quality optimization and interdisciplinary auxiliary methods including in-process monitoring and the use of AI tools, and provides quantitative analysis of machining qualities across different machining technologies. Finally, challenges and outlooks for laser machining of CFRP are discussed.