A review of chatter vibration research in milling

Chatter is a self-excited vibration of parts in machining systems. It is widely present across a range of cutting processes, and has an impact upon both efficiency and quality in production processing. A great deal of research has been dedicated to the development of technologies that are able to predict and detect chatter. The purpose of these technologies is to facilitate the avoidance of chatter during cutting processes, which leads to better surface precision, higher productivity, and longer tool life. This paper summarizes the current state of the art in research regarding the problems of how to arrive at stable chatter prediction, chatter identification, and chatter control/suppression, with a focus on milling processes. Particular focus is placed on the theoretical relationship between cutting chatter and process damping, tool runout, and gyroscopic effect, as well as the importance of this for chatter prediction. The paper concludes with some reflections regarding possible directions for future research in this field.