Analytic tuning of robust multi-mass dampers

Excessive mechanical vibrations in machine tools are a cause of decreased productivity. The passive tuned mass damper (TMD) provides an economic solution to alleviate such problems for a specific frequency of interest. One deficit of TMDs is poor performance outside a narrow frequency band. Advancements of conventional TMDs include those with multiple degrees of freedom or multiple masses to increase robustness and effective frequency range. In this paper, an analytic tuning method for a multi-stage multi-mass damper (MMD) is presented and verified both virtually and experimentally, comparing the robustness toward detuned main systems and toward manufacturing uncertainties of the attachment devices.