Damping out machine shortcomings
Manufacturing processes must be time efficient. In order to achieve this, machines are becoming lighter and consequently poorly damped, resulting in dynamic and acoustical problems. The VINO (Vibration and noise drop by light high damping structures) project aimed at providing solutions using glued light and highly damping structures (LDS) made of inexpensive conventional materials. In the context of the project, calculation tools were developed to help machine designers reduce sheet glued structures design time. In particular, a user-friendly design tool, fully integrated within commercial software, was designed, which allows easily meshing and modelling glued joints. In addition different technical solutions for LDS manufacturing were developed. The comparison of these solutions with classical techniques, as measured on different manufactured structures showed a huge damping improvement. These tools and methodologies were used for designing and manufacturing three real machine tool demonstrators. Among them was the design and manufacture of a high performance large module for prismatic component machining. The aim was to increase the dynamic performances of an existing prototype by applying the know-how acquired throughout the VINO project. The LDSs were required to be strong and stiff enough to guarantee high precision finishing operations and withstand the conditions of the working environment. Furthermore, they had to fit with guide ways and revolving devices and allow the clamping of linear motors and motor spindles. Despite these demanding specifications, the resulting LDSs demonstrated numerical and experimental results in accordance with the desired structural behaviour. This achievement encourages an extension of the solution provided to machines and sectors that deal with similar problems.
