Prediction and Simulation for Turning Chatter Control by Spindle Speed Variation

Chattering of machine tool such as lathe during cutting is traditionally an annoying and dangerous problem encountered in manufacturing. How to control machine chatter is thus a nontrivial task for years. In this article, the dynamics of turning cutting is modelled and simulated for exploring the feasibility to suppress chattering using spindle speed variation technique. In parallel, a conventional manual lathe equipped with a self-designed sensor module serves as the experiment carrier for evaluating the performance. The results indicated that the simulation prediction agree with experimental data essentially and this ensures the feasibility. Both lumped global cutting constants (LGCC) and dual-mechanism global cutting constants (DGCC) models are adopted in analytical prediction and numerical simulation. Furthermore, process damping has also been added into numerical simulation, results of which are compared with cutting experiments. The critical stable depth of cut of DGCC model with process damping is shown to agree with experimental results. Sinusoidal spindle speed variation is further used to suppress turning chatter. Numerical simulation is used to find out the possible parameters to be applied in cutting experiments. Currently, optimization of spindle speed variation is underway for further improving chattering control.