Methodology for the evaluation of 3D surface topography in multiple indentation processes

Abstract

Elementary indentation processes are relatively simple compression processes and they are quite extended in many fields of the industry. Nevertheless, the concatenation of these processes is a new approach and has interest from a technological point of view. Incremental forming processes can be carried out in CNC machines with more flexibility, lower force requirements and simpler tools than in conventional forging processes. The purpose of this work is the analysis of the three-dimensional geometry resulting from the multiple indentation process. Based on the surface rugosity parameters defined in the specification standard ISO 4287, the state of the 3D-formed surface by several types of tools is studied and a predictive evaluation model has been developed in order to quantify, by means of shape parameters Sa and SM, the topography of the expected surface and the amount of material displaced depending on the technological and geometrical characteristics of the process.