New Light and Highly-Damped Bonded Structures for Noise and Vibration Reduction

The current trend with machine tool structures is the reduction of weight of their moving parts. The present paper looks at a method for achieving this, namely that of bonding rigid materials, whether or not of metal. Special emphasis is laid on achieving structures with a high damping ratio. The method makes it possible to combine materials and thicknesses, and produce closed, ribbed sections. To assess the behaviour of these structures it was necessary to develop a tool that adds to the features of a finite-element system. With this tool it is possible to assess not only rigidity and mass, but also damping. Various glues were tested, so that those providing optimum rigidity and damping may be used. The prototypes demonstrate the validity of the technology of bonding and of the method of verification.