A coupled dynamics,multiple degree of freedom process damping model,Part 2: Milling

Self-excited vibration, or chatter, is an important consideration in machining operations due to its direct influence on part quality, tool life, and machining cost. At low machining speeds, a phenomenon referred to as process damping enables stable cutting at higher depths of cut than predicted with traditional analytical models. This paper describes an analytical stability model for milling operations which includes a process damping force that depends on the surface normal velocity, depth of cut, cutting speed, and an empirical process damping coefficient. Model validation is completed using time domain simulation and milling experiments. The results indicate that the multiple degree of freedom model is able to predict the stability boundary using a single process damping coefficient.     

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.     

Time domain coupled simulation of machine tool dynamics and cutting forces considering the influences of nonlinear friction characteristics and process damping

A higher machining ability is always required for NC machine tools to achieve higher productivity. The self-oscillated vibration called “chatter” is a well-known and significant problem that increases the metal removal rate. The generation process of the chatter vibration can be described as a relationship between cutting force and machine tool dynamics. The characteristics of machine tool feed drives are influenced by the nonlinear friction characteristics of the linear guides. Hence, the nonlinear friction characteristics are expected to affect the machining ability of machines. The influence of the contact between the cutting edge and the workpiece (i.e., process damping) on to the machining ability has also been investigated. This study tries to clarify the influence of the nonlinear friction characteristics of linear guides and ball screws and process damping onto milling operations. A vertical-type machining center is modeled by a multi-body dynamics model with nonlinear friction models. The influence of process damping onto the machine tool dynamics is modeled as stiffness and damping between the tool and the workpiece based on the evaluated frequency response during the milling operation. A time domain-coupled simulation approach between the machine tool behavior and the cutting forces is performed by using the machine tool dynamics model. The simulation results confirm that the nonlinear frictions influence the cutting forces with an effect to suppress the chatter vibration. Furthermore, the influence of process damping can be evaluated by the proposed measurement method and estimated by a time domain simulation.     

Hybrid model- and signal-based chatter detection in the milling process

Chatter causes machining instability and reduces productivity in the metal cutting process. It has negative effects on the surface finish, dimensional accuracy, tool life and machine life. Chatter identification is therefore necessary to control, prevent, or eliminate chatter and to determine the stable machining condition. Previous studies of chatter detection used either model-based or signal-based methods, and each of them has its drawback. Model-based methods use cutting dynamics to develop stability lobe diagram to predict the occurrence of chatter, but the off-line stability estimation couldn’t detect chatter in real time. Signal-based methods apply mostly Fourier analysis to the cutting or vibration signals to identify chatter, but they are heuristic methods and do not consider the cutting dynamics. In this study, the model-based and signal-based chatter detection methods were thoroughly investigated. As a result, a hybrid model- and signal-based chatter detection method was proposed. By analyzing the residual between the force measurement and the output of the cutting force model, milling chatter could be detected and identified efficiently during the milling process.

     

螺旋铣孔工艺的切削稳定性及工艺参数规划

以螺旋铣孔工艺时域解析切削力建模、时域与频域切削过程动力学建模、切削颤振及切削稳定性建模为基础,研究了螺旋铣孔的切削参数工艺规划模型和方法。切削力模型同时考虑了刀具周向进给和轴向进给,沿刀具螺旋进给方向综合了侧刃和底刃的瞬时受力特性;动力学模型中同时包含了主轴自转和螺旋进给两种周期对系统动力学特性的影响,并分别建立了轴向切削稳定域和径向切削稳定域的预测模型,求解了相关工艺条件下的切削稳定域叶瓣图。在切削力和动力学模型基础之上,研究了包括轴向切削深度、径向切削深度、主轴转速、周向进给率、轴向进给率等切削工艺参数的多目标工艺参数规划方法。最后通过试验对所规划的工艺参数进行了验证,试验过程中未出现颤振现象,表面粗糙度、圆度、圆柱度可以达到镗孔工艺的加工精度。     

Three-dimensional stability prediction and chatter analysis in milling of thin-walled plate

Stability lobe diagram can be used for selecting proper milling parameters to perform chatter-free operations and improve productivity during milling of thin-walled plates. This paper studies the machining stability in milling of thin-walled plates and develops a three-dimensional stability lobe diagram of the spindle speed, tool position, and axial depth of cut. The workpiece-holder system is modeled as a 2-degree-of-freedom system considering that the tool system is much more rigid than the thin-walled plate, and dynamic equations of motion described for the workpiece-holder system are solved numerically in time domain to compute the dynamic displacements of the thin-walled plate. Statistical variances of the dynamic displacements are then employed as a chatter detection criterion to acquire the stability lobe diagram. The experimentally obtained stability limits correspond well with the predicted stability limits. In addition, influence of feed rate on stability limits is also investigated. By performing frequency analysis of the measured cutting forces to judge if chatter occurs, it is found that feed per tooth has little influence on the stability limits. However, feed per tooth impacts the machined surface quality. The results show that the surface quality drops by increasing feed per tooth.     

Stability charts with large curve-flute end-mills for thin-walled workpieces

The development of advanced performance materials by foundrymen allows new designs of components with similar mechanical resistance but lower thicknesses. This accentuates the well-known problems in machining cutting systems (static form errors, forced vibrations, and chatter), which appear increasingly early. These problems are particularly severe in the case of rotating parts in the field of aeronautics. Currently, the machining time for impellers and blisks can be improved so that new cutting tools with innovative features are continually developed. Barrel type or curved end mills will have a significant impact on the manufacturing of aircraft components during incoming years. In this paper, a time domain method is proposed for the first time to predict stability in milling operations when using these tools. The dynamic cutting forces are first obtained and then used to plot stability contour maps. Key aspects, such as tool orientation angles, several dynamic modes, and runout were also considered. Finally, chatter tests were performed for a low-stiffness mechanical system to validate the model. The presented maps indicate chatter severity and may be used for chatter prediction and productivity improvement.     

Chatter prediction based on frequency domain solution in CNC pocket milling

Chatter has been a problem in CNC machining process especially during pocket milling process using an end mill with low stiffness. Since an iterative time-domain chatter solution consumes a computing time along tool paths, a fast chatter prediction algorithm for pocket milling process is required by machine shop-floor for detecting chatter prior to real machining process. This paper proposes the systematic solution based on integration of a stability law in frequency domain with geometric information of material removal for a given set of tool paths. The change of immersion angle and spindle speed determines the variation of the stable cutting depth along cornering cut path. This proposed solution transforms the milling stability theory toward the practical methodology for the stability prediction over the NC pocket milling.     

Simulation of low rigidity part machining applied to thin-walled structures

The aim of this study is to evaluate the modelling of machining vibrations of thin-walled aluminium workpieces at high productivity rate. The use of numerical simulation is generally aimed at giving optimal cutting conditions for the precision and the surface finish needed. The proposed modelling includes all the ingredients needed for real productive machining of thin-walled parts. It has been tested with a specially designed machining test with high cutting engagement and taking into account all the phenomena involved in the dynamics of cutting. The system has been modelled using several simulation techniques. On the one hand, the milling process was modelled using a dynamic mechanistic model, with time domain simulation. On the other hand, the dynamic parameters of the system were obtained step by step by finite element analysis; thus the variation due to metal removal and the cutting edge position has been accurately taken into account. The results of the simulations were compared to those of the experiments; the discussion is based on the analysis of the cutting forces, the amplitude and the frequency of the vibrations evaluating the presence of chatter. The specific difficulties to perfect simulation of thin-walled workpiece chatter have been finely analysed.     

考虑变时滞效应的弱刚度球头铣刀铣削稳定性研究

弱刚度球头铣刀广泛应用于深腔模具零件的铣削中,加工过程中容易发生颤振,确定加工稳定域是实现稳定铣削的重要手段,但该铣削系统具有变时滞特点,稳定性分析的难度较大,制约着加工质量的提高。为此,提出一种弱刚度球头铣刀铣削稳定性分析方法。首先,建立弱刚度刀具系统的动力学方程;接着,基于Newton-Raphson求解出刀齿选定点的时滞量;最后,基于全离散法提出考虑变时滞再生效应的稳定性分析方法,并利用Floquet定理获得了不同转速所对应的临界切深,构建出铣削稳定性叶瓣图。实验结果表明在叶瓣图的非稳定域铣削时铣削力中含颤振频率成分,所加工表面的S_y和S_a比稳定域内加工表面增大35%和42%,说明该分析方法是可靠的,可为切削参数的选择和优化提供依据。     

Chatter stability of micro end milling by considering process nonlinearities and process damping

The micro end milling uses the miniature tools to fabricate complexity microstructures at high rotational speeds. The regenerative chatter, which causes tool wear and poor machining quality, is one of the challenges needed to be solved in the micro end milling process. In order to predict the chatter stability of micro end milling, this paper proposes a cutting forces model taking into account the process nonlinearities caused by tool run-out, trajectory of tool tip and intermittency of chip formation, and the process damping effect in the ploughing-dominant and shearing-dominant regimes. Since the elasto-plastic deformation of micro end milling leads to large process damping which will affect the process stability, the process damping is also included in the cutting forces model. The micro end milling process is modeled as a two degrees of freedom system with the dynamic parameters of tool-machine system obtained by the receptance coupling method. According to the calculated cutting forces, the time-domain simulation method is extended to predict the chatter stability lobes diagrams. Finally, the micro end milling experiments of cutting forces and machined surface quality have been investigated to validate the accuracy of the proposed model.     

Chatter stability prediction in milling using time-varying uncertainties

The chatter stability in milling severely affects productivity and quality of machining. Tool wear causes both the cutting coefficient and the process damping coefficient, but also other parameters to change with cutting time. This variation greatly reduces the accuracy of chatter prediction using conventional methods. To solve this problem, we consider the cutting coefficients of the milling system to be both random and time-varying variables and we use the gamma process to predict cutting coefficients for different cutting times. In this paper, a time-varying reliability analysis is introduced to predict chatter stability and chatter reliability in milling. The relationship between stability and reliability is investigated for given depths and spindle speeds in the milling process. We also study the time-varying chatter stability and time-varying chatter reliability methods theoretically and with experiments. The results of this study show that the proposed method can be used to predict chatter with high accuracy for different cutting times.     

实时振动数据驱动的薄壁件平铣工艺参数自适应优化

为减小加工振动对薄壁件平铣（端面盘铣）加工质量及效率的影响，提出一种实时铣削振动数据驱动的平铣工艺参数自适应优化方法。首先根据再生效应原理建立薄壁件平铣颤振稳定性模型。其次将薄壁件平铣过程中前一个工步内的实测振动数据分为若干段，以此模拟其材料去除过程，对各段铣削振动数据进行分析，由有限元单位力法和优化STD法分别识别出薄壁件刚度和各材料去除阶段模态频率及阻尼比，并由此导出薄壁件单模态频响函数，将其代入颤振稳定性模型求解稳定域叶瓣图并做插值处理后即可确定包含材料去除信息的薄壁件三维颤振稳定域叶瓣图。基于此，以避免铣削颤振、共振和满足机床性能要求为约束条件，以材料去除率最大为目标，利用遗传算法计算薄壁件下一个工步较优的工艺参数，如此循环进行，直到完成薄壁件加工。最后，通过某型飞机垂尾薄壁装配界面平铣试验验证该方法的可行性和有效性。由试验结果可看出，采用优化后的加工工艺参数，能使薄壁装配界面粗加工过程表面粗糙度从Ra 3.2提升为Ra 1.6，加工效率提高33%。     

Prediction of dynamic cutting force and regenerative chatter stability in inserted cutters milling

Currently, the modeling of cutting process mainly focuses on two aspects: one is the setup of the universal cutting force model that can be adapted to a broader cutting condition; the other is the setup of the exact cutting force model that can accurately reflect a true cutting process. However, there is little research on the prediction of chatter stablity in milling. Based on the generalized mathematical model of inserted cutters introduced by ENGIN, an improved geometrical, mechanical and dynamic model for the vast variety of inserted cutters widely used in engineering applications is presented, in which the average directional cutting force coefficients are obtained by means of a numerical approach, thus leading 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 is also created to satisfy the special requirement of inserted cutter milling. The corresponding algorithms used for predicting cutting forces, vibrations, dimensional surface finish and stability lobes in inserted cutter milling under different cutting conditions are put forward. Thereafter, a dynamic simulation module of inserted cutter milling is implemented by using hybrid program of Matlab with Visual Basic. Verification tests are conducted on a vertical machine center for Aluminum alloy LC4 by using two different types of inserted cutters, and the effectiveness of the model and the algorithm is verified by the good agreement of simulation result with that of cutting tests under different cutting conditions. The proposed model can predict the cutting process accurately under a variety of cutting conditions, and a high efficient and chatter-free milling operation can be achieved by a cutting condition optimization in industry applications.     

Stability improvement and vibration suppression of the thin-walled workpiece in milling process via magnetorheological fluid flexible fixture

In aerospace industry, thin-walled workpiece milling is a critical task. Also, the machining vibration is a major issue for the accuracy of the final part. In this study, a new dynamic analytical model is proposed to determine the effect of damping factor on the dynamic response of thin-walled workpiece in machining. A complex structure workpiece is equivalent to a thin plate. The fixture constrains and the damping factor are crucial elements of this thin plate. Therefore, the magnetorheological fluid flexible fixture is designed to suppress the machining vibration in machining process. Then, the general dynamic cutting force model and the damping force model are proposed for the key dynamic equation for the prediction of dynamic response to evaluate the stability of the milling process with and without the damping control. Finally, the feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed model is validated by machining tests. The predicted values match on the experiment results.     

Prediction of regenerative chatter in the high-speed vertical milling of thin-walled workpiece made of titanium alloy

With the wide application of high-speed cutting technology, high-speed machining approach of titanium alloy has become one of the most effective ways to improve processing efficiency and to reduce the processing cost, but the cutting chatter which often occurs in the cutting process not only affects the machining surface quality but also reduces the production efficiency. Regenerative chatter is a typical phenomenon during actual cutting, and it has the greatest impact on the cutting process. With the purpose of avoiding regenerative chatter and selecting appropriate cutting parameters to achieve a steady cutting process and a high surface quality, it is necessary to determine the critical boundary conditions where chatter occurs. Built on the work of previous theoretical researches of regenerative chatter, this paper utilized Visual C++ software to calculate the chatter stability domain during the finish machining of titanium alloy. It was shown that the border between a stable cut and an unstable cut can be visualized in terms of the axial depth of cut as a function of the spindle speed. Using the result, it can find the specific combination of machining parameters, which lead to the maximum chatter-free material removal rate. In order to verify the result, the high-speed milling experiment of an I-shaped thin-walled workpiece made of titanium alloy was conducted. It revealed that the actual machining result was consistent with the calculation prediction. This study will offer a useful guide for effective parameter selection in future CNC machining applications.     

Fast prediction of chatter stability lobe diagram for milling process using frequency response function or modal parameters

Prediction of chatter stability is important for planning and optimization of machining process in order to improve machining efficiency and reduce machining damage. Based on the classical analytical solution of chatter stability for milling process and in-depth analysis of the impact of modal parameters on the stability lobe diagram, a straight forward procedure for fast predicting stability lobe diagram directly using modal parameters of machining system was put forward. In consideration of the fact that the modal parameters of milling system can be estimated directly from the frequency response function using single DOF modal parameter estimation method, stability lobe diagram can be plotted directly using the tool tip’s frequency response function. The machining performances of a machining center with three different cutting tools were evaluated and the corresponding optimized cutting conditions were determined. The correctness of the proposed method was validated by good agreement of the predicted stability lobe diagram with that using the classical analytical method, and simulation results show that its calculation speed had been improved by 2–3 orders of magnitude. As a result, the proposed method of plotting stability lobe diagram using frequency response function can be utilized as an effective tool to select chatter-free cutting conditions in shop floor applications.     

A prediction method of milling chatter stability for complex surface mold

This paper proposes a kind of milling chatter stability prediction method used for the stability of milling free-form surface based on the time-domain. Firstly, a dynamic equation is established by considering the influence of mold surface curvature and cutting tool lead angle on dynamic chip thickness without deformation. Then, the multi-delay milling system vibration displacement, which is given by the ratio of dynamic chip thickness and the static chip thickness as the threshold, was calculated based on the numerical method. Finally, the chatter stability domain based on the full-discretization method of milling chatter stability domain is compared to analyze the influence of the characteristics of free surface curvature on the chatter stability domain. The results of the experiment show that the time-domain simulation method can reveal the influence of different processing areas of free-form surface mold on the instability mechanism of the system. The change trend of milling chatter stability domain was found to be consistent with the experimental results.     

Milling Force Model for Aviation Aluminum Alloy:Academic Insight and Perspective Analysis

Aluminum alloy is the main structural material of aircraft,launch vehicle,spaceship,and space station and is pro-cessed by milling.However,tool wear and vibration are the bottlenecks in the milling process of aviation aluminum alloy.The machining accuracy and surface quality of aluminum alloy milling depend on the cutting parameters,material mechanical properties,machine tools,and other parameters.In particular,milling force is the crucial factor to determine material removal and workpiece surface integrity.However,establishing the prediction model of milling force is important and difficult because milling force is the result of multiparameter coupling of process system.The research progress of cutting force model is reviewed from three modeling methods:empirical model,finite element simulation,and instantaneous milling force model.The problems of cutting force modeling are also determined.In view of these problems,the future work direction is proposed in the following four aspects:(1)high-speed milling is adopted for the thin-walled structure of large aviation with large cutting depth,which easily produces high residual stress.The residual stress should be analyzed under this particular condition.(2)Multiple factors(e.g.,eccentric swing milling parameters,lubrication conditions,tools,tool and workpiece deformation,and size effect)should be consid-ered comprehensively when modeling instantaneous milling forces,especially for micro milling and complex surface machining.(3)The database of milling force model,including the corresponding workpiece materials,working condi-tion,cutting tools(geometric figures and coatings),and other parameters,should be established.(4)The effect of chatter on the prediction accuracy of milling force cannot be ignored in thin-walled workpiece milling.(5)The cutting force of aviation aluminum alloy milling under the condition of minimum quantity lubrication(mql)and nanofluid mql should be predicted.