Chatter stability of parallel milling operations

Parallel milling process is the process where more than one milling tool cut the same workpiece simultaneously offering increased productivity. However, the dynamic interaction between the tools may introduce additional stability problems, and thus needs to be analyzed. In this study, a frequency domain model is developed for the chatter stability of parallel milling processes. The stability diagrams are obtained for different parallel machining conditions demonstrating the effects of dynamic interaction between the tools through a flexible workpiece. The predictions are verified by experiments carried out on a multi-tasking machining center.