Theoretical and numerical experiences on a test rig for active vibration control of mechanical systems with moving constraints

Active control of vibrations in mechanical systems has recently benefited of the remarkable development of robust control techniques. These control techniques are able to guarantee performances in spite of unavoidable modeling errors. They have been successfully codified and implemented for vibrating structures whose uncertain parameters could be assumed to be invariant with time. Unfortunately a wide class of mechanical systems, such as machine tools with carriage motion realized by a ball-screw, are characterized by time varying modal parameters. The focus of this paper is on modeling and controlling the vibrations of such systems. A test rig for active vibration control is presented. An analytical model of the test rig is synthesized starting by design data. Through experimental modal analysis, parametric identification and updating procedures the model has been refined and a control system has been synthesized.