Automatic trimming of machining stability lobes

This paper details an automatic method for the organization of the stability information included in the multiple parameterized lobes that make up analytic stability lobe diagrams into a single pair of vectors that describe the continuous relationship between spindle speed and allowable chip width. Additionally, the method describes the trimming of adjacent lobes and the removal of the spurious loops that are contained in each lobe for niultiple-mode tool point frequency response functions. Example MATLAB code is provided which implements the steps to perform the necessary trimming operations in AutoCAD using an executable script file. The trimmed lobe coordinate information is then exported from AutoCAD using the drawing interchange file (.dxf) format and read back into MATLAB for plotting and analysis. Examples for the development of trimmed stability lobe diagrams from tool point dynamic data that exhibits multiple modes, as well as directly from experimental frequency response measurements, are provided. Published by Elsevier Science Ltd.