Analyzing the Dynamic Characteristics of Milling Tool Using Finite Element Method and Receptance Coupling Method

Abstract

This study aims to investigate the dynamic characteristics of a milling machine with different head stocks by using finite element (FE) method and receptance coupling analysis (RCA). For this purpose, five full finite element machine models, including vertical column, reformed head stock and feeding mechanism were created. With these models, the tool point frequency response functions were directly predicted. Another approach was the application of the receptance coupling method, in which the frequency response of the assembly milling tool was calculated from the receptance components of the individual substructures through the coupling operation with the interfaces of the feeding mechanism. Results show that a whole machine model with reformed stock has superior dynamic behavior when compared with the original design, by an increment of 10% in the dynamic stiffness. The receptance coupling method was verified to show an accurate prediction of the frequency response functions of the spindle tool when compared with the results obtained from the full FE models. Overall, the proposed methodology can help the designer to efficiently and accurately develop the machine tool structure with excellent mechanical performance.