To what extent can the drilling process affect the drilling performance in <scp>A</scp>l‐mesh/<scp>GFRE</scp> hybrid composites?

Abstract A critical step in the bolted connection assembly of hybrid composites is drilling. Drilling effectiveness is influenced by the interaction between the structural constitution of the composite and the type of the drilling process. The performance of traditional (TD) and abrasive water jet (AWJ) drilling of glass fiber (GF) and hybrid glass fiber/aluminum‐mesh composites with two distinct Al patterns (AGF: with Al at the surface layer and GFA: with Al in the center) has been examined, with a focus on drilling performance. Delamination (), out of roundness (), Bearing strength (), and taper angle () are the quality criteria. The experimental studies were conducted under controlled parameters for TD (feed rate, speed and point angle) and for AWJ (water pressure, stand‐off distance and traverse speed) utilizing Taguchi L9 OA. TD method produced superior performance, with decrease of 10.75%, improved by 84.26%, and increased by 20.14%. While AWJD provides minimal thermal impacts, it produces increased and more variations in hole geometry owing to its sensitivity to specimen structures and processing parameters. The outcomes provided guidance for applications in aerospace and manufacturing, indicating that optimized TD is better suited for applications requiring high hole quality, and cost‐effectiveness. Highlights A comparative study of traditional and non‐traditional drilling processes. AWJD produces larger , less precise, and is affected by material properties. The TD showed compatibility for uses needing superior performance and quality.