Incremental sheet metal forming of Ti–6Al–4V alloy for aerospace application

Abstract

Driven by an increasing demand from the aerospace industry, thin sheet forming of titanium and its alloys is gaining prominence in scientific research. The design and manufacture of aerospace components requires the utmost precision and accuracy. It is essential to have good control over the process parameters of the forming process. Processes such as incremental sheet metal forming (ISMF) are highly controlled in the current manufacturing environment, but improvements in geometric accuracy and thinning are still needed. Although ISMF has greater process competence for manufacturing airframe structures with minimal costs, the process has its own negative effect on geometric accuracy due to elastic springback and sheet thinning. In this study, finite element analysis and experimental work are performed, considering process parameters such as spindle speed, feed rate, step depth, and tool diameter, to study the geometric accuracy and thinning of Ti–6Al–4V alloy sheet, while incrementally forming an aerospace component with asymmetrical geometry. The results are useful for understanding the geometric accuracy and thinning effects on parts manufactured by single point incremental forming (SPIF). Results from finite element analysis and experimental work are compared and found to be in good agreement.