Development of an Effective Chatter Control System for an End Mill Spindle Tool System

Excessive chatter during the machining process reduces productivity and increases manufacturing costs. This disruption slows material removal, thereby decreasing operational efficiency and output. To increase the efficiency in cutting operations, dynamic stability, active structural control methods are the best way to get effective results. In the present paper integrated spindle tool systems are modelled using finite element methods by using the Timoshenko beam theory with shear and rotational deformation effects. To achieve the maximized average stable depth of cut for an end milling process while simultaneously minimizing chatter vibration levels, both semi-active and active control strategies have been investigated. Machining experiments performed on Al6061-alloy specimens and provide an empirical confirmation of the stability boundaries. Vibration levels and optical microscope images are considered, to identify chatter marks under various machining conditions, which helps to assure cutting process stability. A proportional derivative controller method is applied at the interface of the spindle tool to control the cutting forces at different cutting conditions. Stability lobe diagrams are plotted with these derived conditions and observed at an incremental level in the axial depths of cutting. The methodology presented in this paper improves the stability in machining of alloy materials with the reduction in the tool tip vibrations.