The objective of this thesis was to design a joint that combines high precision and high damping. A possible application for the joint is to reduce vibrations in machine tools or workpieces during metal cutting processes. The goal was that the joint would clamp a test steel beam with the maximum repeatable referencing precision of 0,05 mm and increase the dynamic stiffness in the beam by 200 %. The increase in dynamic stiffness should also be achieved with less than 20 % reduction in static stiffness in the beam. Five different joint types were evaluated from which pinned joint was selected. Damping is accomplished by incorporating a thin layer of viscoelastic material in the joining surfaces and three pins are used for precision alignment between the surfaces.

The joint was tested with the finite element method to evaluate the damping property before it was manufactured. After manufacturing, an experimental modal test was performed using an impact hammer to evaluate the damping capability. The precision of the joint was measured in a CNC machine. Experiments showed that the repeatable referencing precision of the joint is inside 0,05 mm. The dynamic stiffness in the beam is increased by 180 % with 23 % decrease in static stiffness.