A force measuring based strategy for failure prevention in incremental forming

Abstract Incremental forming processes show a number of advantages compared to the traditional processes but, at the same time, some drawbacks are clearly known. Current problems, include the slowness of the process, low accuracy and a lack of knowledge in the field of material formability. This paper is focused on the latter issue: an industrially oriented methodology for detecting the approach of failure in incremental forming is proposed. The approach is based on the analysis of the trend of the forming force in order to assess whether the process can be run safely. If not, a proper strategy, to avoid material failure, is proposed and experimentally validated.

Process mechanics analysis in single point incremental forming

The request of highly differentiated products and the need of process flexibility have brought the researchers to focus the attention on innovative sheet forming processes. Industrial application of conventional processes is, in fact, economically convenient just for large scale productions; furthermore conventional processes do not allow to fully satisfy the mentioned demand of flexibility. In this contest, single point incremental forming (SPIF) is an innovative and flexible answer to market requests. The process is characterized by a peculiar process mechanics, being the sheet plastically deformed only through a localised stretching mechanism. Some recent experimental studies have shown …

An economical model for investment decisions in flexible manufacturing processes: An application to sheet metal forming operations

Analisi numerico sperimentale del processo di piegatura di Tubi

Influence of mechanical properties of the sheet material on formability in single point incremental forming

Abstract New trends in sheet metal forming are rapidly developing and several new forming processes have been proposed to accomplish the goals of flexibility and cost reduction. Among them single point incremental forming operations, in which the final shape of the component is obtained by the relative movement of a simple and small punch with respect to the blank, appear quite promising. In the paper, material formability issues in incremental forming were studied. Some relevant correlations among material formability and other mechanical properties of the material were analysed. The FLD 0 value, i.e. the major strain at fracture in plane strain conditions, was determined for different mat…

Incremental forming of friction stir welded taylored sheets

In the last decade sheet metal forming market has undergone substantial mutations since the development of more efficient strategies in terms of flexibility and cost reduction is strictly due. Such requirements are not consistent with traditional metal stamping processes which are characterized by complex equipment, capital and tooling costs; thus the industrial application of such processes is economically convenient just for large scale productions. For this reason most of the research work developed in the last years has been focused on the development of new sheet forming processes able to achieve the above discussed goals. Contemporary, with particular reference to the automotive indus…

Measuring of Geometrical Precision of Some parts Obtained by Asymmetric Incremental Forming Process After Trimming

Asymmetric Incremental Forming exalts the advantages of Incremental Forming process since no dies are strictly necessary. In this way complex geometries may be manufactured with a very simple clamping equipment. On the other hand, this characteristic determines some intrinsic drawbacks which penalise its industrial suitability; first of all, the dimensional control of the manufactured part is a still open point for researchers all over the world. Several approaches have been already proposed in the last years to solve the problem, resulting only in partial solutions. At the same time, up to now, the numerical simulation did not supply significant aid to the designers, due to the problem com…

An analytical model for improving precision in single point incremental forming

Abstract In the modern manufacturing scenario and, in particular, in sheet metal forming, the requirement of customised production is still growing. The introduction of incremental forming enables the production of customised components in small lots. In particular, single point incremental forming is characterised by the simplest equipment; any die, in fact, is avoided reducing the necessary tooling to a simple frame, able to clamp the sheet, and a hemispherical punch that imposes the required deformation. This tooling simplicity and the associated process mechanics, in turn, determine a sometimes relevant lack of accuracy. The paper is focused on the investigation of the influence of the …

On-Line Control of Single Point Incremental Forming Operations through Punch Force Monitoring

Abstract Among the innovative sheet metal forming processes, Single Point Incremental Forming (SPIF) represents the simplest and the cheapest one. Despite its relevant advantages, up to now no specific CAE tools for SPIF were developed and the tool trajectory is generally defined utilizing CAD/CAM software developed for machining applications. In the paper an innovative monitoring and control approach, aimed to define and in-process update the most relevant process parameters during an industrial SPIF operation, is proposed. The strategy utilizes as monitoring variable the punch force trend: a set of preliminary tests demonstrated, in fact, its suitability as “spy variable” of the process m…

Shape and dimensional accuracy in Single Point Incremental Forming: State of the art and future trends

Abstract The paper is aimed to discuss some relevant issues concerning an innovative sheet metal forming technology, namely Single Point Incremental Forming. The advantages of this technology are addressed, including its capability to provide effective answers to some impellent industrial requirements: process flexibility, strong customer orientation, production of highly differentiated goods at low industrial costs. As well some relevant drawbacks are highlighted, mainly as concerns the level of accuracy permitted by the process. A wide recognition of the research efforts in this field is presented, taking into account some general considerations on the difference sources of shape and dime…

Sheet incremental forming: a new process configuration allowing controlled flow of the sheet material under the blank-holder

Three-dimensional FE simulation of single point incremental forming: experimental evidences and process design improvements

Application of the Neural Network technique for reducing springback in Incremental Forming processes

Analysis of the punch force in incremental forming for revealing failure approaching

Verso il Dieless: la Formatura Incrementale

A depth dependent analytical approach to determine material breaking in SPIF

Formability is a relevant issue in Single Point Incremental Forming (SPIF) process since it is one of the main point of strength together to the possibility to avoid any dedicated die. Several researches agree that, depending on working material and process parameters, in SPIF operations there is a threshold slope of the wall that cannot be overcame without material breaking. If deep Incremental Forming is taken into account, despite the previous statement it is possible to demonstrate that, when the threshold angle is imposed, there is a relation between the actual workpiece depth and the material breaking approaching. In this paper, the latter relationship was investigated and formally de…