Active control of machine tool vibrations in external turning operations

Vibration and noise in metal cutting are ubiquitous problems in the workshop. The external turning operation is one kind of metal cutting that exhibits vibration-related problems. Severe noise is also a problem growing in proportion due to regulations in preventing hearing loss. Active vibration control is a potential solution to such problems. With the piezoceramic actuator technology of today, the size of the actuator can be kept small and still be able to produce a sufficient amount of force for the antivibrations. Results from several continuous cutting experiments show a 40 dB reduction of the cutting tool vibration level. The design of the active technique enables this technology to be applicable to a general lathe, provided the mounting Arrangement is fairly similar.