Damping in ram based vertical lathes and portal machines

Chatter vibrations originated by the machine structure are a major limitation for the productivity of ram based machines performing heavy duty operations. Consequently, the damping of the machine structure has a capital importance. It is known that interfaces and guideways are the main origin of damping. Recently, the use of active dampers has been introduced in industry. In this work, the damping of hydrostatic and rolling guideways with and without active damping has been experimentally identified and compared using receptance coupling. The results show that hydrostatic guidance can introduce 3–4 times more damping than a roller based system. However, the introduction of active damping is a game changer enhancing damping more than 30 times.