Compensations for Tool Path to Enhance Accuracy During Double Sided Incremental Forming

Abstract

Incremental Sheet Metal Forming (ISMF) is a flexible sheet metal forming process that enables forming of complex three dimensional components by successive local deformations without using component specific tooling. ISMF is also regarded as die-less manufacturing process and in the absence of part-specific dies, geometric accuracy of formed components is inferior to that of their conventional counterparts. In Single Point Incremental Forming (SPIF), the simplest variant of ISMF, bending near component opening region is unavoidable due to lack of support. The bending in the component opening region can be reduced to a larger extent by another variant of ISMF namely Double Sided Incremental Forming (DSIF) in which a moving tool is used to support the sheet locally at the deformation zone. However the overall geometry of formed components still has unacceptable deviation from the desired geometry. Experimental observation and literature indicates that the supporting tool loses contact with the sheet after forming certain depth. Present work demonstrates a methodology to enhance geometric accuracy of formed components by compensating for tool and sheet deflection due to forming forces. Forming forces necessary to predict compensations are obtained using force equilibrium method along with thickness calculation methodology developed using overlap that occurs during forming (instead of using sine law). Results indicate that there is significant improvement in accuracy of the components produced using compensated tool paths.