Manufacture of an aerospace component with hybrid incremental forming methodology

Abstract

Single point incremental forming is a promising sheet metal forming technique for small batch production. However, the technique is unable to manufacture vertical walls without significant thickness variation and geometrical errors. Two-point incremental forming has the capability of manufacturing vertical walls but requires actuators and intricate rig designs. This paper presents a design facilitating vertical wall manufacturing using a die similar to that used for two-point incremental forming but without actuators. The geometry is created in six passes with a toolpath that can be generated on any leading computer-aided manufacturing software. Manufacturing with this technique reduces geometrical errors in critical areas and improves thickness distribution. This research will be of interest to anyone looking to manufacture prototypes with flat-based geometries in a cost-effective manner.