Milling workpiece chatter avoidance using piezoelectric active damping: a feasibility study

During the milling of thin-walled and flexible structures such as those manufactured for the aerospace industries, workpiece chatter can become a key factor that limits productivity. Chatter is a form of self-excited vibration that can be stabilized by increasing the damping of the vibrating structure. In the present study, an experimental investigation is described which assesses the feasibility of using piezoelectric active vibration control to mitigate workpiece chatter in milling. A positive position feedback control strategy is used, and a series of milling tests is performed, which demonstrate a sevenfold improvement in the limiting stable depth of cut. The practical issues concerning, the application of this technique are then discussed.