Carbon　fiber　reinforced　polymer　(CFRP)　is　widely　used　in　the　aerospace　field　due　to　its　excellent　physical　and　mechanical　properties　such　as　high　specific　strength,　high　specific　modulus,　and　good　corrosion　resistance.　However,　it　is　prone　to　bring　burrs,　tears,　matrix,　and　fiber　debonding　during　the　cutting　process　due　to　its　non-homogeneity　and　anisotropy,　which　seriously　affects　the　service　life　of　the　material.　To　explore　the　damage　failure　mechanism　of　the　CFRP　cutting　process,　2D　and　3D　finite　element　simulation　models　were　established　based　on　Abaqus　in　this　paper.　Furthermore,　the　influence　law　of　fiber　direction　on　cutting　damage　failure　and　chip　forming　was　analyzed　from　micro　and　macro　levels.　Finally,　the　effectiveness　of　the　simulation　model　was　verified　by　experiments.　The　results　show　that　the　cutting　surface　of　CFRP　with　a　45°　fiber　angle　is　serrated,　and　the　local　failure　is　not　obvious;　the　main　defect　of　CFRP　with　90°　fiber　angle　cutting　is　a　matrix　and　fiber　debonding,　and　some　fibers　will　be　crushed　and　off.　Serious　degumming　phenomenon　occurred　in　the　cutting　process　of　CFRP　with　135°　fiber　angle,　and　the　bending　and　fracture　of　fiber　also　occur　below　the　cutting　depth.　It　is　noteworthy　that　the　stress　distribution　diverges　along　the　fiber　direction.　©　2023,　The　Author(s),　under　exclusive　licence　to　Springer-Verlag　London　Ltd.,　part　of　Springer　Nature.