Suppression of chatter in thin-walled component milling through shear thickening fluids

Abstract

In the milling of thin-walled components, the inherently low stiffness of these structures makes the occurrence of chatter a critical issue that significantly limits machining accuracy and productivity. To address this challenge, this study proposes a novel approach for chatter suppression based on the shear thickening effect. Two representative types of shear thickening fluids (STFs)—silicon dioxide-polyethylene glycol (SiO₂-PEG) and cornstarch-water—are experimentally investigated. Initially, the modal parameters of thin-walled workpieces, both with and without the application of STFs, are determined separately through experimental modal analysis. Subsequently, a nonlinear milling dynamics model is formulated using Hamilton’s principle, incorporating the kinetic energy, strain energy, boundary potential energy, and strain potential energy of the system, as well as the rheological and mechanical properties of the STF. The stability lobe diagram is then computed using the full-discretization method to analyze the dynamic stability of the system. To further validate the vibration suppression effectiveness of the STFs, milling vibration tests are conducted using different types and mass fractions of the fluid. The results indicate that the application of STF significantly reduces the natural frequency and increases the damping ratio of the cutting system, thereby achieving a notable suppression of milling vibrations and improving the milling surface roughness.