With advances in material technology, allowing, for instance, engines to withstand higher combustion pressure and consequently improving performance, comes challenges to productivity. These materials are, in fact, more difficult to machine with regards to tool wear and especially machine tool stability. Machining vibrations have historically been one of the major limitations to productivity and product quality and the cost of machining vibration for cylinder head manufacturing has been estimated at 0.35 euro per part. The literature review shows that most of the research on cutting stability has been concentrating on the use of the stability limits diagram (SLD), addressing the limitations of this approach. On the other hand, research dedicated to development of machine tool components designed for chatter avoidance has been concentrating solely on one component at the time. This thesis proposes therefore to extend the stability limits of the machining system by enhancing the structure’s damping capability via a unified concept based on the distribution of damping within the machining system exploiting the joints composing the machine tool structure. The design solution proposed is based on the enhancement of damping of joint through the exploitation of viscoelastic polymers’ damping properties consciously designed as High Damping Interfaces (HDI). The tool-turret joint and the turret-lathe joint have been analysed. The computational models for dimensioning the HDI’s within these joints are presented in the thesis and validated by the experiments. The models offer the possibility of consciously design damping in the machining system structure and balance it with regards to the needed stiffness. These models and the experimental results demonstrate that the approach of enhancing joint damping is viable and effective. The unified concept of the full chain of redesigned components enables the generation of the lowest surface roughness over the whole range of tested cutting parameters. The improved machining system is not affected by instability at any of the tested cutting parameters and offers an outstanding surface quality. The major scientific contribution of this thesis is therefore represented by the proposed unified concept for designing damping in a machining system alongside the models for computation and optimisation of the HDIs. From the industrial application point of view, the presented approach allows the end user to select the most suitable parameters in terms of productivity as the enhanced machine tool system becomes less sensitive to stability issues provoked by difficult-to-machine materials or fluctuations of the work material properties that may occur in ordinary production processes. / <p>QC 20120413</p> / DampComat / Production 4 micro / FFI Robust Machining

Considerando as dimensões reduzidas das ferramentas de microfresamento, a seleção não otimizada dos parâmetros de corte tende a maximizar o desgaste e a quebra da ferramenta durante operações de microusinagem. Isto posto, o desenvolvimento de um sistema de monitoramento para explorar as condições da microfresa durante a usinagem é fundamental. Portanto, o objetivo desta pesquisa é monitorar via sinais de potência e emissão acústica (EA) o desgaste da ferramenta e a estabilidade de corte em operações de microfresamento do aço COS AR60 e COS AR60 de grãos ultrafinos (GUF). Os testes de microfresamento foram realizados com ferramentas de diâmetro de 1 mm e duas arestas, com substrato de metal duro e revestimento (Ti, Al, Cr) N, em um centro de usinagem CNC Romi D800 High Performance adaptado com um cabeçote de alta rotação. O microfresamento ocorreu nos dois materiais sem aplicação de fluido de corte e com velocidade de corte de 62,5 m/min e 125 m/min, mantendo constante a velocidade de avanço de 240 mm/min (fz = 6 &#956;m/aresta e 3 &#956;m/aresta), profundidade de usinagem de 100 m e comprimento de usinagem de 104 mm em corte em cheio. O sinal de potência e EA foram adquiridos à taxa de 5 kHz e 1,25 MHz, respectivamente. Os dados foram adquiridos em LabVIEW® e processados em LabVIEW® e MATLAB®. Os resultados de caracterização dos desgastes apontaram um desgaste de flanco mais expressivo e a formação de Aresta Postiça de Corte (APC) no GUF para vc = 125 m/min, e a presença de desgaste de cratera em todas as condições de corte. O aumento da potência de corte média representou a predominância do desgaste de flanco, e desgaste de cratera em sua redução. De forma semelhante, a ANOVA dos valores de EA RMS indicaram com significância (95% de confiança) uma correlação diretamente proporcional entre EA RMS e evolução do desgaste de flanco na microfresa. Quanto à estabilidade de corte, ambos os sinais apresentaram um aumento expressivo de amplitude quando o corte foi instável. Com isso, os métodos de monitoramento utilizados foram capazes de indicar a evolução do desgaste da microfresa e a ocorrência de chatter em operações de microfresamento. / Regarding the reduced dimensions of micro-milling tools, a non-optimised selection of cutting parameters tends to maximise tool wear and breakage during cutting operations. Hereupon the development of a monitoring system for exploring microtool conditions during machining is imperative. Therefore, the aim of this research is to monitor tool wear and cutting stability via cutting power and acoustic emission (AE) signals in micro-milling operations of steel COS AR60 and ultra fine-grained steel COS AR 60 (GUF). Cutting tests were performed by carbide endmill tools with (Ti, Al, Cr) N coating, two flutes and 1 mm diameter in a CNC machining centre Romi D800 High Performance adapted with a high spindle speed head. Micro-milling operations were carried out in both materials without cutting fluid application at 62.5 m/min and 125 m/min, and constant parameters of feed, set at 240 mm/min (fz = 6 &#956;m/tooth and 3 &#956;m/tooth), depth of cut of 100 m and cutting length of 104 mm performed in sloth cutting strategy. Cutting power and AE signals were acquired at the rate of 5 kHz and 1.25 MHz, respectively. The data were acquired in LabVIEW® and processed in both LabVIEW® and MATLAB®. The results on wear characterisation revealed a major flank wear and the formation of Built Up-Edge (BUE) in GUF at vc = 125 m/min, along with the occurrence of crater wear in all cutting conditions set. An increase in the average cutting power levels is linked to the predominancy of flank wear, while crater wear to its decrease. Likewise, the Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) of EA RMS values indicated with significancy (95% confidence) a direct proportion between AE RMS and flank wear in the microtool. In terms of cutting stability both EA and cutting power signals have shown an expressive rise when performing instable cutting. Thus, the methods of monitoring were feasible for recognising tool wear evolution and chatter in micro-milling operations.