Stability analysis of modulated tool path turning

A new periodic sampling-based method for identifying the stability of modulated tool path turning (MTP) is presented. A metric is defined that provides a numerical value to indicate stability; it is nominally zero for forced vibration and large for self-excited vibration. Tests were performed using ASM 6061-T6 aluminum tubes with varying wall thicknesses to control stability, where MTP was applied to create discrete chips by superimposing sinusoidal oscillation in the feed direction. Results are compared for the new periodic sampling metric and the traditional frequency-domain approach, where the frequency spectrum is analyzed to identify the chatter frequency (should it exist).