Cantilever　structure　is　widely　used　in　the　field　of　aerospace　engineering.　Due　to　the　complex　working　environment　and　the　excitation　effect,　the　vibration　suppression　of　the　structure　is　extremely　important.　The　Nonlinear　Energy　Sink　(NES),　which　is　characterized　as　light　weight,　targeted　energy　transfer　and　high　damping　efficiency,　provides　the　demanding　for　the　design　of　vibration　suppression　of　aerospace　structures.　In　this　paper,　the　NES　is　used　to　study　the　vibration　reduction　of　cantilever　rectangular　plates.　Based　on　the　Kirchhoff　hypothesis,　the　coupling　dynamic　equations　of　the　between　the　thin　plate　and　the　NES　are　established,　and　the　response　of　the　structure　in　the　first　order　transverse　bending　is　studied　by　modal　truncation.　The　suppression　effect　of　the　NES　under　different　parameters　is　analyzed　which　can　provide　some　theoretical　support　for　the　cantilever　structure　in　engineering　application.　©　Published　under　licence　by　IOP　Publishing　Ltd.