Modeling and Analytical Solution of Chatter Stability for T-slot Milling

T-slot milling is one of the most common milling processes in industry. Despite recent advances in machining technology, productivity of T-slot milling is usually limited due to the process limitations such as high cutting forces and stability. If cutting conditions are not selected properly the process may result in the poor surface finish of the workpiece and the potential damage to the machine tool. Currently, the predication of chatter stability and determination of optimal cutting conditions based on the modeling of T-slot milling process is an effective way to improve the material removal rate（MRR） of a T-slot milling operation. Based on the geometrical model of the T-slot cutter, the dynamic cutting force model was presented in which the average directional cutting force coefficients were obtained by means of numerical approach, and leads to an analytical determination of stability lobes diagram（SLD） on the axial depth of cut. A new kind of SLD on the radial depth of cut was also created to satisfy the special requirement of T-slot milling. Thereafter, a dynamic simulation model of T-slot milling was implemented using Matlab software. In order to verify the effectiveness of the approach, the transfer functions of a typical cutting system in a vertical CNC machining center were measured in both feed and normal directions by an instrumented hammer and accelerators. Dynamic simulations were conducted to obtain the predicated SLD under specified cutting conditions with both the proposed model and CutPro~. Meanwhile, a set of cutting trials were conducted to reveal whether the cutting process under specified cutting conditions is stable or not. Both the simulation comparison and experimental verification demonstrated that the satisfactory coincidence between the simulated, the predicted and the experimental results. The chatter-free T-slot milling with higher MRR can be achieved under the cutting conditions determined according to the SLD simulation.

Machining dynamics and chatters in micro-milling:A critical review on the state-of-the-art and future perspectives

Micro-milling technology is widely applied in micro manufacturing,particularly for the fabrication of miniature and micro components.However,the chatters and machining dynamics related issues in micro-milling are often the main challenges restricting its machining quality and productivity.Many research works have rendered that the machining dynamics and chatters in micro-milling are more complex compared with the conventional macro-milling process,likely because of the size effect and rigidity of the micro-milling system including the tooling,workpiece,process variables,materials involved,and the high-speed milling machines,and further their collective dynamic effects.Therefore,in this paper,the state of the art focusing on micro-milling chatters and dynamics related issues over the past years are comprehensively and critically reviewed to provide some insights for potential researchers and practitioners.Firstly,typical applications and the problems caused by the machining dynamics and chatters in micro-milling have been put forward in this paper.Then,the research on the underlying micro-cutting mechanics and dynamics,stability analysis,chatters detection,and chatter suppression are summarized critically.Furthermore,the underlying scientific and technological challenges are discussed particularly against typical precision engineering applications.Finally,the possible future directions and trends in research and development of micro-milling have been discussed.

Chatter stability prediction in four-axis milling of aero-engine casings with bull-nose end mill

An analytical model for chatter aero-engine casings is presented in this paper stability prediction in bull-nose end milling of And the mechanics and dynamics variations due to the complex cutter and workpiece geometry are considered by analyzing the effects of the lead angle on the milling process. Firstly, the tool-workpiece engagement region is obtained by using a previously developed method and divided into several disk elements along the tool-axis direction. Secondly, a 3D dynamic model for stability limit calculation is developed and simplified into a 1D model in normal direction considering only the dominant mode of the workpiece. Then the cutting force coefficients, the start and exit angles corresponding to each disk element are determined. And the total stability lobe diagram is calculated using an iterative algorithm. Finally, several experimental tests are carried out to validate the feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed ~rediction approach.

Vibration suppression of thin-walled workpiece machining considering external damping properties based on magnetorheological fluids flexible fixture

Milling of the thin-walled workpiece in the aerospace industry is a critical process due to the high flexibility of the workpiece. In this paper, a flexible fixture based on the magnetorheological (MR) fluids is designed to investigate the regenerative chatter suppression during the machining. Based on the analysis of typical structural components in the aerospace industry, a general complex thin-walled workpiece with fixture and damping constraint can be equivalent as a rectangular cantilever beam. On the basis of the equivalent models, natural frequency and mode shape function of the thin-walled workpiece is obtained according to the Euler-Bernoulli beam assumptions. Then, the displacement response function of the bending vibration of the beam is represented by the product of all the mode shape function and the generalized coordinate. Furthermore, a dynamic equation of the workpiece-fixture system considering the external damping factor is proposed using the Lagrangian method in terms of all the mode shape function and the generalized coordinate, and the response of system under the dynamic cutting force is calculated to evaluate the stability of the milling process under damping control. Finally, the feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed approach are validated by the impact hammer experiments and several machining tests. (C) 2016 Production and hosting by Elsevier Ltd. on behalf of Chinese Society of Aeronautics and Astronautics.

A Gaussian process regression‐based surrogate model of the varying workpiece dynamics for chatter prediction in milling of thin‐walled structures

Since the dynamics of thin‐walled structures instantaneously varies during the milling process,accurate and efficient prediction of the in‐process workpiece(IPW)dynamics is critical for the prediction of chatter stability of milling of thin‐walled structures.This article presents a surrogate model of the IPW dynamics of thin‐walled structures by combining Gaussian process regression(GPR)with proper orthogonal decomposition(POD)when IPW dynamics at a large number of cutting positions has to be predicted.The GPR method is used to learn the mapping between a set of the known IPW dynamics and the corresponding cutting positions.POD is used to reduce the order of the matrix assembled by the mode shape vectors at different cutting positions,before the GPR model of the IPW mode shape is established.The computation time of the proposed model is mainly composed of the time taken for predicting a known set of IPW dynamics and the time taken for training GPR models.Simulation shows that the proposed model requires less computation time.Moreover,the accuracy of the proposed model is comparable to that of the existing methods.Comparison between the predicted stability lobe diagram and the experimental results shows that IPW dynamics predicted by the proposed model is accurate enough for predicting the stability of milling of thin‐walled structures.

Modal parameter determination and chatter prediction for blade whirling: a comparative study based on symmetric and asymmetric FRF

Whirling has been adopted for the cost-effective machining of blade-shape components in addition to traditional end milling and flank milling processes.To satisfy the requirements of rotary forming in the blade whirling process,the workpiece must be clamped at both ends in suspension and rotated slowly during machining,which complicates the dynamics.This study aims to identify the dynamic characteristics within the blade whirling operation and present strategies for stability prediction.In this study,the dynamic characteristics of a whirling system are modeled by assuming symmetric and asymmetric parameters.Theoretical prediction frequency response function(FRF)results are compared with experimental results.Moreover,semi-discretization stability lobe diagrams(SLDs)obtained using the dynamic parameters of these models are investigated experimentally.The results show that the asymmetric model is more suitable for describing the whirling system,whereas the symmetric model presents limitations associated with the frequency range and location of measuring points.Finally,a set of airfoil propeller blade whirling operations is conducted to verify the prediction accuracy.