An adaptive fixture for suppress vibrations and measuring workpiece deformation of thin-walled casings

Abstract Thin-walled casings are key components in aerospace engines. Due to the poor rigidity, workpiece vibration and deformation become the main factors to limit cutting efficiency. Auxiliary support is usually used to increase the rigidity of the workpiece. This paper proposes a novel adaptive auxiliary fixture, which integrates vibration suppression and deformation measurement functions. The fixture provides an adaptive support force to increase the local stiffness and damping by using air cylinders. The integrated displacement sensors measure the deformation of the workpiece during and after machining. Cutting experiment verifies the effectiveness of the fixture in vibration suppressing and deformation measurements.