Process Damping Analytical Stability Analysis and Validation

INTRODUCTION The analytical stability lobe diagram offers a predictive capability for selecting stable chip width-spindle speed combinations in machining operations [1-4]. However, the increase in allowable chip width provided at spindle speeds near integer fractions of the system’s dominant natural frequency is diminished substantially at low spindle speeds where the stability lobes are closely spaced. Fortunately, the process damping effect can serve to increase the chatter-free chip widths at these low speeds. This increased stability at low spindle speeds is particularly important for hard-to-machine materials that cannot take advantage of the higher speed stability zones due to prohibitive tool wear at high cutting speeds.