~-~. ? V~c~ ~c,o!Des. ~es, Vo!,2:, No. 3.e-.pp. 251-261, 1981. 0020-7357/81,/030251 - 11 $02.

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~:~nIec ) (3rea Bli~am Pergamon Press Ltd

A METHOD FOR THE ANALYSIS OF MACHINE

TOOL CHATTER

M. M. NIGM*

(Received 15 October 1980; in final form 6 April 1981)

A I ) ~ a c t - - A method for the analysis of machine tool chatter is presented. The method is based on the system
approach and can be applied either graphically or analytically in a simple manner for the whole range of overlap
factor 0 ~</~ ~< 1. Stability charts are presen ted and the effects of various parameters on the stability level and chatter
frequency are discussed.

INTRODUCTION
THE DYNAMICinstability arising in machine tools when metal is being removed, known as
machine tool chatter, has attracted a great deal ofresearch in recent years. It is now generally
accepted that machine tool chatter is due to the interaction between the metal cutting process
and the machine tool structure. The analysis of machine tool chatter thus involves the
combination of the parameters describing the dynamic behaviours of both the machine
structure and the cutting process, with the aim of the prediction of the conditions arising
when the system is on the brink of instability. The latter is defined as the condition which
arises when an initial small disturbance in the cutting process neither increases nor decreases
with time.
Several methods [1-6] have been developed to predict the critical width of cut which
renders the machine tool on the threshold of stability. The graphical method due to Gurney
and Tobias [1] and the analytical methods due to Andrew [3] and Tlusty [4] are only
applicable to the case of full regenerative cutting when successive cuts completely overlap. On
the other hand, the algebraic method of Sweeney and Tobias [2-] is valid for the whole range
of the overlap factor 0 ~/~ ~< 1. Although the effect of various parameters on the threshold of
stability can be seen through numerical solutions, the method does not offer clear physical
explanations for some of its end results, e.g. the effect of the overlap factor/~ and the phase of
the dynamic cutting force on the part of the operative receptance in which the machine tool is
susceptible to chatter. Sweeney [5] developed a method by which the stability conditions of a
machine tool can be obtained from general stability charts. The latter, however, should be
constructed for various values of overlap and penetration rate factors and can be rather
tedious. The graphical method due to Merritt [6] is based on the feedback control theory and
applicable to the whole range of overlap factor. The method, however, has a serious
limitation : it does not account for the dynamics of the metal cutting process. Another feature
which could limit the practical value of the method is the complexity of its graphical
procedure, as it needs a specially prepared chart called a Merritt Chart and contains the
gain-phase plot of certain critical loci. A gain-phase plot of the machine tool receptance is
made on a transparent paper which is then superimposed on the Merritt Chart and shifted
vertically until intersection occurs with the appropriate critical locus.
In the present work a method for the analysis of machine tool stability is presented. The
method is based on the system approach and has some definite advantages over the previous
methods as it allows a deeper insight into the contribution of the main mechanisms affecting
machine tool chatter, and can be applied either graphically or analytically in a simple manner
for the whole range of the overlap factor. Although the proposed method is based on the
feedback control theory and as such may be conceptually similar to that of Merritt [6], it has
the advantage of accounting for the dynamics of the cutting process and being much simpler
to use.

* Mech, Eng. Dept., Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt.

251
252 M . M . NI(;M

PROPOSED METHOD
The conditions arising in machine tool chatter are symbolically shown in Fig. 1. This
shows a machine tool removing a chip of mean thickness and has been disturbed from steady-
state cutting by a small vibration x(t) between the tool and workpiece normal to the mean
direction of the cut surface. This will result in a modulation of the bottom surface of the chip
being removed. The upper surface of the chip being removed is also shown to be modulated
by x(t - T) due to the wave cut during the previous revolution of the workpiece ; where T is
the time lag between successive cuts and, for a single cutting edge, is given by T = 60IN,
where N is the workpiece rotational speed in rev/min. As a result, a chip, the top and bottom
of which has been modulated, is being removed. Since the chip thickness varies the cutting
force will also vary, and can be considered to have a dynamic component P(t), as shown in
Fig. 1 superimposed on the steady-state one (not shown in the figure). The dynamic cutting
force P(t) acts between tool and workpiece and would thus result in a relative displacement
x (t), which in turn produces a variation of the chip thickness and cutting force. The situation
is thus one of a closed-loop interaction between the cutting process and the machine tool
structure. Three distinct mechanisms can be identified in this closed-loop, namely: (a)
machine tool structure; (b) chip thickness modulation; and (c) cutting process. The block
diagram representation of such a closed-loop system is shown in Fig. 2. The three blocks
represent the above mentioned mechanisms with their respective inputs, outputs and
transfer functions indicated. The minus sign in the feedback path is included to account for
the fact that an increase in the dynamic cutting force P would lead to a decrease in the tool
penetration x into the workpiece, as can be seen from Fig. 1. The input signal R accounts for
any disturbance to the system, e.g. the force resulting from the inhomogeneity of the
workpiece or that transmitted to the machine tool through its foundation, etc.
The dynamics of the above-mentioned mechanisms, as well as the stability of the system,
are now discussed. The analysis is only concerned with small dynamic variations around the
steady state and, therefore, system linearity is assumed throughout this work.

Machine tool
In Fig. 2 the machine tool structure is represented by a subsystem having as its input, the
force F, output, the relative displacement x and transfer function, G (s), where s is the Laplace
operator. The corresponding frequency response function can be expressed in complex polar
form as
G(jco) = Me3'~, (1)
where co is the circular frequency and j = x/ - I. M and ~b are the gain and phase angles
respectively of the machine tool structure and are usually combined in a polar plot, with o) as
an additional parameter, as shown in Fig. 3. Such a plot is often referred to as the operative
receptance and can be experimentally obtained by applying a harmonic force in the direction
F and measuring the response in the direction x, as shown in Fig. 1.

- -

O ~

F](;. 1. Regenerative metal cutting process.

 Analysis of Machine Tool Chatter 253

~b .::~ F q I G ] Machine Tool

/X
J H2 l-
H 1S1 - J
Culling Process Chip Modulation

FK,. 2. Closed-loop representation of system.

Imaginary
106
105

: 102 , 2

-2 101 / -i 0 Re,3[

0.5
100,

99 -1
.4J.1=
Hz

995 5x10-5 mrn/N

F1(;. Y Stability analysis of machine tools.

Chip thickness modulation

The chip thickness modulation can be expressed as
5(t) = x(t) - #x(t - T), (2)
where x(t) and x(t - T) are the inner and outer modulations respectively, while IL is the
overlap factor that lies between 0 ~< # ~< 1. In full regenerative cutting where successive cuts
completely overlap/1 = 1, while in non-regenerative cutting when successive cuts do not
overlap at all/.t = 0.
Taking the Laplace transformation of equation (2), the following expression is obtained for
the transfer function of the chip modulation :
HI(s) = (1 - # e- T').
The corresponding frequency response function can thus be expressed as
H1 (riO) = (1 -- /./e-J~), (3)
where fl is the phase angle between inner and outer modulations of the chip, given by
fl = toT = 6 0 ~ : N . (4)
The frequency response function of the chip modulation can be expressed in complex polar
form as
H I (jco) = C e j'#, (5)
where C and ~ are the gain and phase of the chip modulation mechanism, given by
C = x/(1 + p2 _ 2 U cos fl) (6)
MTDF~ 2 1 - 3 / 4 f
254 M.M. NIGM

and
= arctan [# sin fl/(1 - # cos fl)]. (7)
The frequency response loci of the chip thickness modulation for various values of ~ are
shown in Fig. 3. The loci are concentric circles with their centres at the (1, 0) point and of
radius #, as can be seen from equation (3). For a given #, the locus is traversed once in a
clockwise sense as fl is increased by 2zr. Figure 3 also shows that C varies between the limits
(1 + ~), while @has the range ( + arcsin ~), which is limited by the angle between the real axis
and the tangent from 0 to the respective circle.

Metal cutting process

The dynamic metal cutting process is represented in Fig. 2 by a subsystem having as its
input, the chip modulation 6, output, the dynamic cutting force P and transfer function,
H2(s). The corresponding frequency response function can be expressed in complex polar
form as
H2(flo ) = K e/, (8)
where K and 0 are the gain and phase angles respectively of the dynamic cutting process. The
phase lead 0 may be interpreted as representing the effect of the rate of chip thickness
variation on the dynamic cutting force.
Recent work [7] on dynamic metal cutting has shown that K and 0 can be expressed as
K = Wk (9)
and
0 = arctan (2o~/v), (10)
where W is the width of cut, k is the dynamic cutting coefficient, which is dependent on the
cutting conditions, and v is the cutting speed. Since v = (nDN/60), then, in view of equations
(4) and (10), 0 can be expressed as
0 = arctan (2fl/nD), (11 )
where D is the workpiece diameter and 2 is a parameter which depends on the mean
undeformed chip thickness (feed). The value of), that gives the best fit to the experimental
results at a feed of 0.190 mm/rev is 2 = 0.36 mm. This refers to orthogonal dynamic cutting of
low carbon steel with carbide tips at a rake angle of 5 , cutting speed of 60-250 m/min and
frequency of 60-300 Hz. The investigation also showed that the angle 7 (Fig. 1) enclosed
between the direction of the dynamic cutting force P and the normal to the cut surface x is
dependent on cutting conditions. However, a representative mean value for the conditions
investigated may be taken as 7 = 70 ~.
Stability analysis
The open-loop frequency response function of the system of Fig. 2 is given by
T(jog) = P(flo)/F(flo) = G(jog)H 1 ( j m ) n 2 (rio),
which can be expressed in complex polar form as
T ( j m ) = A ej~. (12)
The open-loop gain and phase are, in view of equations (1), (5) and (8), given by
A = MCK (13)
and
= (b + q / + 0. (14)
A qualitative argument that leads to a simple stability criterion can be introduced as
follows: break the closed loop at any convenient position ab, as shown in Fig. 2, and inject a
sinusoidal signal F at a. In passing through GHxH2 the outcoming signal P is shifted in phase
 Analysis of Machine Too] Chatter 255

by ct. In passing through the summing point the signal P is subtracted from R and its phase is
thus shifted by a further 180 . Total phase shift will then be 0tl = + rt, and if this happens to
be ~q = 2rt then the outcoming signal at b will be in phase with the injected signal at a. For
this to occur, the phase shift between P and F must be ~ = n. This will happen only at a
certain frequency co. If, for this value of co, the outcoming amplitude at b is equal to the
injected amplitude at a, then since the two signals are in phase they will be indistinguishable.
If, at such a condition, the two terminals a and b are reconnected and the external injection is
dispensed with, the system would not notice the difference and oscillation would continue
indefinitely with a constant amplitude and frequency. The closed-loop system would then be
on the brink of instability. A small disturbance once set up would neither increase nor
decrease with time, but would just be self-sustained. If, for ct = n, the outcoming amplitude at
b is less than that injected at a, the oscillation in the closed loop would not sustain itself, as
disturbance is smaller after each traverse of the loop and the system is stable. If, on the other
hand, the outcoming amplitude at b exceeds that injected at a, disturbance will grow with
each traverse of the loop and the system is unstable.
The stability criterion emerging from this argument can be stated as: for the frequency at
which the open-loop phase :t = re, the system is stable if the gain A < 1, unstable ifA > 1 and
on the threshold of stability if A = 1.
Equating 0t to rt in equation (14), the following phase relationship is obtained:
q~ = n - ~, - 0 . (15)
If, at this condition, A = 1, equation (13) reduces to
K = 1/MC, (16)
which gives the critical gain of the cutting process that renders the system on the brink of
instability. If A > 1, equation (13) gives

K > 1/MC (17)

and the system would be unstable. On the other hand if A < 1, equation (13) renders

K < 1/MC (18)

and the system is stable.

This stability criterion, although much simpler, is equivalent to the more general Nyquist
criterion. The simplicity lies in the fact that the proposed method does not require the
plotting of the open-loop frequency response locus as is required by the Nyquist criterion.
The plotting of that locus for each cutting speed is quite cumbersome and time consuming.
Instead, the proposed method only requires plotting the operative receptance G(jco) and
H1 (jco) which is simply a circle of radius # and centre (1, 0), as shown in Fig. 3.
The conditions arising at the threshold of stability can, for a given value of overlap factor/~
and workpiece diameter D, be obtained as follows: choosing a value for fl, the corresponding
values of C and ~bcan be found either graphically from Fig. 3 or analytically from equations (6)
and (7). 0 is obtained from equation (11) and ~b is then found from equation (15). For this
value of ~bthe corresponding values of M and co are obtained from the operative receptance of
the machine tool, as shown in Fig. 3. The corresponding value of critical gain K is found from
equation (16) and the rotational speed N from equation (4) as

N = 60co~ft. (19)

This procedure is repeated for various values of fl and the resulting values of critical gain K
and chatter frequency co are plotted versus N, as shown in Fig. 4, and result in the stability
chart of the system. The system will be unstable if this value of K is exceeded [equation (17)]
and conversely, the system is stable if this value of K is not reached [equation (18)1. The
corresponding critical width of cut W can easily be obtained from the critical gain K
provided that the dynamic cutting coefficient k is known. Equation (11 ) shows that W = K/k.
256 M, M. NIG~4

N 105 ~
"i-

F
:,
U
~ 100
g
m g5
5

4
C- ~ = 0 . 2 5
93
2

1000 2000 3000 1000 2000 3000

N,r, p m N, r.p.m.

~105

.~leO
g-
5

b- JJ.=0.5 d- xa=0
E 3

2
w"

....i ~ ~ - I 1 I
1000 2000 3000 1000 2000 3000
N, r.p.m. N, r.p.m.

Fl~;. 4. Effect of # on the stability chart. 0 = 0.

A further simplification can be obtained for the case of full regenerative cutting when/~ =
1. In such a case C can, in view of Fig. 3, be expressed as
C = 2cos ~.
If this is substituted into equation (16) and taking equation (15) into consideration, the
following relationship is obtained
K = 1/2 M cos (n - 0 - ~). (20)
Equation (20) shows that for/~ = 1 the critical gain K is half the reciprocal of the projection of
the receptance phasor on a line inclined by an angle of (n - 0) to the positive real axis.

A P P L I C A T I O N OF THE METHOD
The p r o p o s e d m e t h o d is applied to predict the stability charts corresponding to the
operative receptance shown in Fig. 3. The latter is derived from the data of Andrew [3]
referring to a horizontal milling machine, for the case when the cutting force forms an angle 7
= 70 with the n o r m a l to the cut surface. This is representative of machine tool h a r m o n i c
responses and is, therefore, suitable for the present analysis.
 Analysis of Machine Tool Chatter 257

Figure 4 contains the predicted stability charts for various values of overlap factor and
with the phase angle of the cutting process 0 = 0. Figure 4a shows that when p = 1, the
customary stability chart of regenerative chatter is obtained. This consists of a number of
unstable lobes. For each lobe, K decreases from infinity to a minimum and then increases to
infinity again as N is decreased. The unstable lobes overlap together even at high rotational
speeds; a fact which implies that there is no stable speed bands. At low rotational speeds the
unstable lobes are too narrow to show graphically, but the locus of their minima is signified in
the figure by the horizontal interrupted line. The chatter frequency varies in a sawtooth-like
manner as a function of the rotational speed, with a frequency jump occurring at the end of an
unstable lobe and the beginning of the next lower lobe. This jump in the chatter frequency can
be explained with reference to Fig. 3. The figure shows that, when p = 1, an infinitesimal
change e,in fl from fl = 2nn - ~ to fl = 2nn + e,would lead to a sudden change in ~, from ~ =
- n/2 to ff = n/2. According to equation (15) with 0 = 0, this causes the chatter
frequency to jump suddenly from a lower value corresponding to ~b = 3rr/2 to a higher value
corresponding to ~b = n/2. The sudden frequency jump at the same value of fl leads to the
overlap between successive lobes on the speed axis as can be seen from equation (19). Fig. 3
also shows that when ~ = 1, ~kis limited to the range - ~/2 ~< ~ ~ n/2 and thus, according to
equation (15) with 0 = 0, the machine is liable to chatter only at that part of the operative
receptance where n/2 ~< ~b ~< 3n/2. That is, the part which lies to the left of the imaginary axis.
The phenomenon that K attains an infinite value at the beginning and end of each lobe can be
attributed to the fact that C = 0 at fl = 2nn, as can be seen from Fig. 3. The known fact that
the minimum value Kmln of each lobe is equal to half the reciprocal of the maximum negative
in-phase component of the operative receptance can be seen from equation (20) when 0 = 0.
If now the overlap factor is decreased to/~ = 0.5 or/a = 0.25, the unstable lobes do not
overlap and there is no jump in chatter frequency, as can be seen from Fig. 4(b and c
respectively). The boundary between stable and unstable regions as well as the chatter
frequency vary with rotational speed in a continuous wave-like fashion. This can be
attributed to the fact that for/~ < 1, ~b varies with fl in a continuous manner, as can be seen
from Fig. 3. The continuous variation of ~ leads, in accordance with equation (15), to a
smooth variation of tk which, in turn, results in a smooth variation of chatter frequency and,
consequently, lobes do not overlap. Figure 3 also shows that as/~ is decreased the limits of
variation of both ~, and C decrease. This would lead to a decrease in the range of ~b for which
chatter can arise and, hence, the limits of variation of chatter frequency and K are both
reduced and Kmln increases with the reduction of/~, as can be noted from Fig. 4. In the limiting
case when l~ = 0 each of these parameters assumes a constant value independent of speed,
namely ~ = 0, C = 1, ~b = n and K = 1/M. In this case the boundary between the stable and
unstable regions is simply a horizontal line, as shown in Fig. 4d, and the machine is liable to
chatter only at a single frequency which corresponds to ~b = rr, i.e. the point where the
operative receptance crosses the negative real axis. It also follows that the value of K for ~ =
0 is at least twice as much as the value of Km~. for/~ = 1.
The effect of the phase lead 0 of the cutting process on the conditions arising at the
threshold of instability is shown in Fig. 5. This contains the stability charts corresponding to
the operative receptance of Fig. 3 for various values of overlap factor #, and with 0 being
taken from equation (11). The values 2 = 0.36 mm and D = 115 mm are being assumed, thus
resulting in 0 = arctan (0.001 fl). The general features of the stability charts of Fig. 5 are
similar to those of the charts of Fig. 4. In fact, for rotational speeds down to 1000 rpm 0 is
neglegibly small (less than 2 ) and the stability charts of both figures are almost identical. At
lower rotational speeds, however, the effect of 0 becomes more evident and this is manifested
as an increase in both the chatter frequency and the unconditional level of stability. This
effect can be explained in view of equation (15), which shows that an increase in 0 leads to an
equal decrease in ~, i.e. a clockwise shift by an angle 0 in the part of the operative receptance
liable to chatter. This results in a shift towards higher chatter frequencies and a decrease in
the values of M, as can be seen from the operative receptance of Fig. 3.
The present method is further applied to a single-degree-of-freedom (SDOF) cutting rig
[8], the operative receptance of which is presented in Fig. 6. This refers to the case when the
258 M . M . NJ(;M

II// / /

C- .kl : 0-2 5

IIIIA Jl I

1 .... W L / ' J

0 1000 2000 3000 1000 2000 3000

N ~r.p.m. N~r.p.m.

~- 105

=~lOO
" 95
5

4
E b- .~ = 0.5 d- .,u= 0
3
Z

1 w

I I t
0 1000 2000 3000 0 1000 2000 3000
N, r. p-re. N j r.p.m.

Fr(;. 5. Effect of II on the stability chart, 0 = arctan (0.001 #).

dynamic cutting force P is inclined to the normal to the cut surface by an angle I' = 70.
Figure 7 contains the corresponding stability charts for various values of/~ and for 0 =
arctan (0.001 fl). Figure 7a refers to full regenerative chatter (/~ = 1} and shows features
similar to those of the charts of Figs 4a and 5a. However, for the cases of~ = 0.5 and/~ = 0.25
the unstable lobes and chatter frequency curves have a rather tilted V-shape, as shown in Fig.
7(b and c respectively). This can be explained with reference to Fig. 6, for instance when/~ =
0.5, and with 0 = 0 for the sake of simplicity. Take, for example, the nth lobe which starts at fl
= (2n - 1)n and ends at # = 2nrc. At both values of#, ~ = 0 and therefore, according to
equation (15), the machine is liable to chatter at 4) = n. Since the receptance of Fig. 6 refers to
a S D O F system, 4) can only attain this value at 09 = ~ and M = 0. The nth lobe, therefore,
starts and ends with 09 = ;c and K = ~ [equation (16)] at N = ~ [equation (19)]. Between
these two values of#, qJis negative and consequently 4) > n. The machine, therefore, is liable
to chatter with finite values of~o and K at finite rotational speeds N. This results in the above
mentioned, tilted, V-shaped stability lobes and chatter frequency curves. It also follows that
the stability lobes would overlap even for values of/~ < 1, as shown in Figs. 7(b and c).
When/~ = 0, the S D O F cutting rig will be stable for all values of K provided that 0 >/0.
 Analysis of M a c h i n e Tool C h a t t e r 259

Imaginary

N 100
-r

~r

~_ 60
~oo
10 A 7s~
8 6770f M
~0~i2 H1
n z, 5 Hz

2
xlO 4 mm/N

1000 2000 3000 FIG. 6. Stability analysis of a S.D.O.F. cutting rig.

N,r.p.m.

~80~
100 ~ ~
iF
,,60
10

8
E
~6
Z
b-~ :0.5
'10
~ 4

2
t
.J ~. c- ~ =0.25

1000 2000 3000 0 1000 2000 3000

N ~r.p.m. N, r.p.m.

Fl(;. 7. Effect of ~ on the stability chart. 0 = a r c t a n (0.001 fl).

This is due to the fact that equation (15), in this case, requires that ~b ~< n : a condition that can
never be satisfied by the receptance of the SDOF cutting rig shown in Fig. 6. This leads to the
known conclusion that non-regenerative chatter can only arise in the presence of mode
coupling. However, it should be emphasized that such a conclusion may not hold true in
some cases. If0 is negative, a situation which was found to occur in non-regenerative cutting
(wave generation) at small feed rates and low cutting speeds [9], equation (15) requires that ~b
> n for chatter to take place. It follows that when 0 is negative, non-regenerative chatter can
occur in a S D O F machine tool, i.e. in the absence of mode coupling.
The above discussion not only shows the ability of the present method to predict the effects
of various parameters on machine tool stability in a simple manner, but it also illustrates the
power of the method to offer clear explanations for these effects. The method can also be
applied to investigate the stability of machine tools using other dynamic cutting models. This
is illustrated in the Appendix for the cutting model of Tobias and Fishwick [10].
260 M.M. NI(;M

Irn aginary
H/K

2t-
Real

FIG. 8. Stability analysis using T. & F. cutting model.

CONCLUSIONS
T h e m e t h o d p r e s e n t e d in this p a p e r constitutes a unified system a p p r o a c h for the analysis
of machine tool chatter. The method is valid for the whole range of overlap factor 0 ~< u ~< 1
and can be applied either graphically or analytically in a simple and straightforward manner.
Its simple and non-iterative computational procedure can be most efficiently carried out by a
digital computer. The method gives a deeper understanding of the contribution of the main
mechanisms and parameters affecting machine tool chatter. It also shows that non-
regenerative chatter can occur in a single-degree-of-freedom machine tool (without mode
coupling) if the dynamic cutting force lags behind the chip thickness modulation.

REFERENCES
[1] J, P. GtrRNEY and S. A. TOBIAS,Trans. ASME 84B, 103 (1962).
[2] G. SWEENTYand S. A. TOBIAS,ASME Prod. Eng. Res. Cmf, Pittsburgh, p. 475-485, (1963).
[3] C. ANDREW,Proc. lnsm mech. Enors 179, 877 (1964).
[4] J. TLUSTY,Int. J. Mach. Tool. Des. Res. 5, 5 (1965).
[5] G. SWEENEY,Vibration of Machine Tools, The Machinery Publishing Co. Ltd., p. 50 (1971).
[6] H. E MERRITT, Trans. ASME gTB, 477 (1965).
[7] M. M. NIG~ M. M. SADEKand S. A. TOBIAS,Int. J. Mach. Tool Des. Res. 17, 19 (1977).
[8] W. A. KNIGHT, Int. J. Mach. Tool Des. Res. 8, 1 (1968).
[9] M. M. NIGM, The dynamic characteristics of the dynamic cutting process, Ph.D. Thesis, University of
Birmingham (1974).
[10] S. A. TOBIASand W, F~SHWlCK,Engineering. Lond. 205, 199 (1958).

APPENDIX
Tobias and Fishwick cutting model
The proposed method can be applied to investigate the stability of machine tools using the dynamic cutting model
of Tobias and Fishwick [10]. In this model the dynamic cutting force can be expressed as
Pit) = K[x(t) - ,ux(t - T) + k'T~it)], (21)
where k' is the penetration rate factor and .~(t) the penetration rate of the tool into the workpiece.
Taking the Laplace transformation of equation (21) under the assumption that x(0) = 0, the transfer function of
the dynamic cutting process together with the chip thickness modulation can be expressed as
H(s) = P(s)/X(s) = K[1 - / ~ e - r , + k'Ts].
The corresponding frequency response function can thus be expressed as
H(jco) = K[1 - pe -ja +jk'fl]
= K [ H 1 (ja~) + jk'fl], (22)
where H~ (jto), fl and K are given earlier by equations (3), (4) and (9) respectively. This frequency response function
can be given in complex polar form as
H(j~) = K B ej~', (23)
 Analysis of Machine Tool Chatter 261

here

B = J[( 1 - p cos 8) + (p sin p + k/I)]

(24)
1/1r= arctan [(p sin j? + k/S)!( 1 - p cosj3)].

The function B eJ*l is thus the sum ofthe chip modulation response H, (jw) and the imaginary termjkp resulting
)m the penetration rate effect, as can be seen from equation (22) and (23). The values of B and $, can, therefore, be
stained graphically, as shown in Fig. 8. The function H, (jw), as discussed earlier, is periodic, with a period /3 = 2n,
td its locus is a circle of radius p and centre at the (1,O) point, while the term jk/I is linearly increasing with fi and
us E e is nonperiodic with j?.
Noting that the frequency response function of the dynamic cutting process, together with the chip thickness
odulation H( jw), is equivalent to the product H,( jo) H2( jw) of Fig. 2, the open-loop frequency response function
the system is given by
T(jw) = G(jw)H(jw)
Id can, in view of equations (1) and (23) be expressed as
7(jw) = KBMe++r. (25)
In view or the stability analysis established earlier and equation (25) the stability criterion can thus be stated as: at
+ $, = n, the system is stable irK < l/MB, unstable irK > 1:MB and on the threshold of stability ifK = l/MB.
The stability chart ror a given value of p and k can be constructed as follows: choosing a value for /?, the
brresponding values ofB and 4, can be obtained either graphically from Fig. 8 or analytically from equation (24). r$
then determined as 4 = rt - $ I and the corresponding magnitude M and chatter frequency w can be found from
re operative receptance of the machine tool. The limiting cutting gain K = 1/MB and rotational speed N = 6Ooi/
tn then be obtained.