Analytical and experimental stability analysis of AU4G1 thin-walled tubular workpieces in turning process

Abstract

The development of the manufacturing-based industries is principally due to the improvement of various machining operations. Experimental studies are important in researches, and their results are also considered useful by the manufacturing industries with their aim to increase quality and productivity. Turning is one of the principal machining processes, and it has been studied since the 20th century in order to prevent machining problems. Chatter or self-excited vibrations represent an important problem and generate the most negative effects on the machined workpiece. To study this cutting process problem, various models were developed to predict stable and unstable cutting conditions. Stability analysis using lobes diagrams became useful to classify stable and unstable conditions. The purpose of this study is to analyze a turning process stability using an analytical model, with three degrees of freedoms, supported and validated with experimental tests results during roughing operations conducted on AU4G1 thin-walled tubular workpieces. The effects of the tubular workpiece thickness, the feed rate and the tool rake angle on the machining process stability will be presented. In addition, the effect of an additional structural damping, mounted inside the tubular workpiece, on the machining process stability will be also studied. It is found that the machining stability process is affected by the tubular workpiece thickness, the feed rate and the tool rake angle. The additional structural damping increases the stability of the machining process and reduces considerably the workpiece vibrations amplitudes. The experimental results highlight that the dynamic behavior of turning process is governed by large radial deformations of the thin-walled workpieces. The influence of this behavior on the stability of the machining process is assumed to be preponderant.