Investigations on the limitations of rapid experimental determination of stability boundaries during milling

Stability boundaries in milling operations can be determined either analytically or experimentally. Since analytical determination depends on several assumptions and approximations, experimental methods offer a realistic alternative. This however, requires numerous milling trials with different process parameters the results of which are then illustrated in a stability lobe diagram. Although the methods for rapid experimental determination of stability boundaries such as continuously increasing depth of cut and continuously increasing cutting speed have been suggested in literature, they have not been adequately evaluated for their accuracy and limitations. In the current paper, the method of continuously increasing depth of cut is analysed. For this, a Poincaré-section based real time chatter detection algorithm was firstly calibrated. Subsequently, this algorithm was run along with milling trials with continuously increasing depth of cut by inclining the work piece. The influence of the inclination angle on the stability boundary could then be analysed.