Vibration damping for machine tool servo drives by load acceleration feedback

Servo axes with standard P/PI-cascade feedback controller provide insufficient damping of structural vibrations at machine tools. The axis performance can be improved significantly by state space control extensions that are now available for commercial machine tool control systems. The benefit of state space control extensions depend directly on the suitable state capturing in the machine structure. Here, acceleration capturing has turned out to be advantageous compared to additional axis position measurement systems. This contribution explains the control theory of acceleration feedback and elucidates the possible benefit by two exemplary machine tool axes.