Formability of Materials with Small Tools in Incremental Forming

Single point incremental forming(SPIF)is an innovative sheet forming process with a high economic pay-off.The formability in this process can be maximized by executing forming with a tool of specific small radius,regarded as threshold critical radius.Its value has been reported as 2.2 mm for 1 mm thick sheet materials.However,with a change in the forming conditions specifically in the sheet thickness and step size,the critical radius is likely to alter due to a change in the bending condition.The main aim of the present study is to undertake this point into account and develop a relatively generic condition.The study is composed of experimental and numerical investigations.The maximum wall angle(θmax)without sheet fracturing is regarded as sheet formability.A number of sheet materials are formed to fracture and the trends correlating formability with normalized radius(i.e.,R/To where R is the tool-radius and To is the sheet thickness)are drawn.These trends confirm that there is a critical tool-radius(Rc)that maximizes the formability in SPIF.Furthermore,it is found that the critical radius is not fixed rather it shows dependence on the sheet thickness such that Rc=βTo,whereβvaries from 2.2 to 3.3 as the thickness increases from 1 mm to 3 mm.The critical radius,however,remains insensitive to variation in step size ranging from 0.3 mm to 0.7 mm.This is also observed that the selection of tool with R<Rc narrows down the formability window not only on the higher side but also on the lower side.The higher limit,as revealed by the experimental and FEA results,diminishes due to excessive shearing because of in-plane biaxial compression,and the lower limit reduces due to pillowing in the bottom of part.The new tool-radius condition proposed herein study would be helpful in maximizing the formability of materials in SPIF without performing experimental trials.

DEFORMATION ANALYSIS OF SHEET METAL SINGLE-POINT INCREMENTAL FORMING BY FINITE ELEMENT METHOD SIMULATION

Single-point incremental forming （SPIF） is an innovational sheet metal forming method without dedicated dies, which belongs to rapid prototyping technology. In generalizing the SPIF of sheet metal, the deformation analysis on forming process becomes an important and useful method for the planning of shell products, the choice of material, the design of the forming process and the planning of the forming tool. Using solid brick elements, the finite element method（FEM） model of truncated pyramid was established. Based on the theory of anisotropy and assumed strain formulation, the SPIF processes with different parameters were simulated. The resulted comparison between the simulations and the experiments shows that the FEM model is feasible and effective. Then, according to the simulated forming process, the deformation pattern of SPIF can be summarized as the combination of plane-stretching deformation and bending deformation. And the study about the process parameters＇ impact on deformation shows that the process parameter of interlayer spacing is a dominant factor on the deformation. Decreasing interlayer spacing, the strain of one step decreases and the formability of blank will be improved. With bigger interlayer spacing, the plastic deformation zone increases and the forming force will be bigger.

Plasma Surface Cu Alloyed Layer as a Lubricant on Stainless Steel Sheet:Wear Characteristics and On-job Performance in Incremental Forming

To solve the problems of poor forming and easy adhesion of the stainless steel,Cu alloyed layer on the stainless steels was prepared by the double glow plasma surface alloying technique.The experimentalresults indicated that the supersaturated copper dispersedly precipitated in grain interior and crystalboundaries and formed the vermicular structure.The tribologicaltests indicated that the friction coefficient of the Cu alloyed layer was lower than that of the stainless steels.The wear rate of stainless steelin the presence of Cu alloyed layer was approximately 2-fold lower than that in the absence of the alloyed layer.The results of the incrementalforming indicated that the ploughing phenomenon was not observed on the stainless steelin the presence of Cu alloyed layer during the incrementalforming,while the stainless steelpresented the deep ploughing.Therefore,Cu alloyed layer on stainless steelexhibited excellent self-lubrication and forming properties.

Microstructure and M echanical Properties of Magnesium Alloy Sheet by Friction Heating Single Point Incremental Forming

By friction heating single point incremental forming,truncated square pyramid parts with different draw angles of a magnesium alloy AZ31 B were formed at room temperature.Metallurgical,tensile and micro-hardness tests were carried out to obtain the effects of wall angle on microstructure and mechanical properties. The results show that grain in side wall of the formed parts becomes refined significantly. Furthermore,with the increase of draw angle,grain size increases,but strength,hardness and plasticity decrease. In addition, surface roughness tests were performed on the formed surface to determine the influence of speed of forming tool. The results show that surface roughness has a little increase with the increase of tool rotational speed.

Experimental Study on Springback of Sheet Metal Single Point Incremental Forming

Sheet metal single point incremental forming （SPIF） is a new technology for flexible process. The springback phenomenon in single point incremental forming has been discussed. Effects of forming angle and shape of the part are analysed using simple experimental method. Tool diameter, sheet thickness, step size, material parameters and the interaction of them are also analysed by using orthogonal test. The results show that the primary factor af- fecting springback is forming angle. In addition, springback is decreased when the specimen has a larger forming angle. The order of the four factors that influence springback is tool diameter, sheet thickness, step size and material parameters. The forming precision will increase if springabck is decreased by optimizing the forming parameters.

A Hybrid Optimization Approach of Single Point Incremental Sheet Forming of AISI 316L Stainless Steel Using Grey Relation Analysis Coupled with Principal Component Analysiss

We investigated the parametric optimization on incremental sheet forming of stainless steel using Grey Relational Analysis(GRA) coupled with Principal Component Analysis(PCA). AISI 316L stainless steel sheets were used to develop double wall angle pyramid with aid of tungsten carbide tool. GRA coupled with PCA was used to plan the experiment conditions. Control factors such as Tool Diameter(TD), Step Depth(SD), Bottom Wall Angle(BWA), Feed Rate(FR) and Spindle Speed(SS) on Top Wall Angle(TWA) and Top Wall Angle Surface Roughness(TWASR) have been studied. Wall angle increases with increasing tool diameter due to large contact area between tool and workpiece. As the step depth, feed rate and spindle speed increase,TWASR decreases with increasing tool diameter. As the step depth increasing, the hydrostatic stress is raised causing severe cracks in the deformed surface. Hence it was concluded that the proposed hybrid method was suitable for optimizing the factors and response.

NC INCREMENTAL SHEET METAL FORMING PROCESS AND VERTICAL WALL SQUARE BOX FORMING

The forming principle and deformation analysis of NC incremental sheet metalforming process as well as the process planning, experiment and key process parameters of verticalwall square box forming are presented. Because the deformation of sheet metal only occurs around thetool head and the deformed region is subjected to stretch deformation, the deformed region of sheetmetal thins, and surface area increases. Sheet metal forming stepwise is to lead to the whole sheetmetal deformation. The forming half-apex angle 9 and corner radius R are the main processparameters in NC incremental forming of vertical wall square box. According to sine law, a verticalwall square box can't be formed by NC incremental sheet metal forming process in a single process,rather, it must be formed in multi processes. Thus, the parallel line type tool path process methodis presented to form the vertical wall square box, and the experiment and analysis are made toverify it.

Single point and asymmetric incremental forming

This paper presents an update on single point incremental forming （SPIF） of sheet metal since 2005. It includes a description of the process with new information on the maximum forming angle, Фmax, for 5052-H32. An indepth example of the successful design and production of parts is given for industry. This includes discussion on production times and surface roughness with details that will help designers. A general design guide for users of SPIF is provided. It is based upon experience gained in the last decade. In general, materials show a trend of decreasing formability with increasing initial thickness. It is shown that for thicker sheet metal, it is recommended using large spherical tools （12.7 mm or larger）, or a large fiat-ended tool. The fiat-ended tool provides the best combination of good formability and very low surface roughness. For aluminum, galvanized steel and stainless steel, it is recommended using a fiat-ended tool. Advances in multi-pass techniques and information on successful and useful numerical models which predict forming behaviour are included. Finally, there is a discussion on future work needed in SPIF.

Plastic deformation of magnesium alloy with different forming parameters during ultrasonic vibration-assisted single-point incremental forming

The research of forming parameters on the ultrasonic vibration single-point incremental forming of magnesium alloy plastic deformation can provide a theoretical basis for the establishment of the forming parameters.According to the forming characteristics of magnesium alloy sheet,a new method of ultrasonic vibration-as sis ted single-point incremental forming was proposed.The influence of forming parameters on the plastic deformation of magnesium alloy was studied by finite element simulation and experimentation.The influence of vibration frequency,amplitude,friction coefficient,and tool head size on stress and thinning rate of magnesium alloy during ultrasonic vibration-as sis ted single-point asymptotic forming was studied.The results show that the vibration frequency of 20 kHz and forming tool radius of about 5 mm are beneficial for plastic deformation magnesium alloy in ultrasonic vibration-assisted single-point incremental forming.With vibration amplitude increasing,the maximum shear stress tends to decrease as a whole,but at the amplitude of 0.16 mm,the thinning rate is large and fracture occurs easily.With friction coefficient increasing,the maximum shear stress tends to increase,and there is a good linear relationship between the maximum thinning rate and the friction coefficient.

Studying Formability Limits By Combining Conventional and Incremental Sheet Forming Process

In this work it is assessed the potential of combining conventional and incremental sheet forming processes in a same sheet of metal.This so-called hybrid forming approach is performed through the manufacture of a pre-forming by conventional forming,followed by incremental sheet forming.The main objective is analyzing strain evolution.The pre-forming induced in the conventional forming stage will determine the strain paths,directly influencing the strains produced by the incremental process.To conduct the study,in the conventional processes,strains were imposed in three different ways with distinct true strains.At the incremental stage,the pyramid strategy was adopted with different wall slopes.From the experiments,the true strains and the final geometries were analyzed.Numerical simulation was also employed for the sake of comparison and correlation with the measured data.It could be observed that single-stretch pre-strain was directly proportional to the maximum incremental strains achieved,whereas samples subjected to biaxial pre-strain influenced the formability according to the degree of pre-strain applied.Pre-strain driven by the prior deep-drawing operation did not result,in this particular geometry,in increased formability.

Improving Local Temperature Rise in Rotational Incremental Sheet Forming Process by Modifying Forming Parameters Using Response Surface Method

In rotational incremental sheet forming( RISF) process,the friction heating of rotational tool could lead to local temperature rise of the sheet and cause the improvement of sheet's formability.Lightweight metal,such as magnesium alloy,could be deformed by RISF without additional heating. The objective of this study is to investigate the effects of forming parameters,namely,tool rotational speed,feed-rate,step size and wall angle,on the local temperature rise. Using response surface methodology and central composite design( CCD) experimental design,the significance,sequence of parameters and regression models would be analyzed with AZ31 B as the experimental material,and 3D response surface plots would be shown. Combined with actual processing conditions,the measures to improve the local temperature rise by modifying each parameter would be discussed in the end. The results showed that hierarchy of the parameters with respect to the significance of their effects on the local temperature at the side wall was: feed-rate,step size,and rotational speed,while at the bottom it was: feed-rate,step size,wall angle, and rotational speed, and no significant interaction appeared. It was found that the most significant parameter was not rotational speed,but feed-rate,followed by step size,for both test positions. In addition, the local temperature would increase by elevating step size,wall angle,rotating rate,and bringing down of feed-rate.

Application of Ceramic Film as Means of Lubrication for Forming of TiSheet in a Highly Localized Deformation Process

Incremental forming is a novel die-less sheet forming process. There is a need for special means to retain lubricant at the tool/sheet interface during forming. To fulfillthe stated aim, a porous ceramic film was developed on pure Ti substrate, and it was done through an electrochemical depsition process known as plasma electrolytic oxidation. The film with preferred pore size could be realized after several attempts by varying the processing parameters. In order to characterize the film, a variety of tests including rnicrostructure, film-substrate bond strength and tribological properties tests were conducted. On-job performance of the film was also examined by forming Ti components employing a range of forming conditions. It was found that the proposed method of lubrication was effective, and the plasma eletrolytic oxidation process can be employed to fabricate films on pure Ti sheet to provide means of lubrication during incremental forming.

A novel micro-rolling&incremental sheet forming hybrid process:Deformation behavior and microstructure evolution

Thin-walled metal parts with functional micro-featured surface have broad application prospects in the fields of resistance reduction,noise reduction,etc.In this study,a novel micro-rolling&incremental sheet forming hybrid process(μR-ISF)is proposed to fabricate thin-walled metal parts with microgroove arrays.An analytical model which relates the rolling force and microgroove depth in the micro-rolling stage was first established.Then,the formation mechanism of microgroove morphology during both micro-rolling stage and macro-shape forming stage are investigated.After the micro-grooved sheet being incrementally formed,a significant reduction(between 21%to nearly 60%)is occurred in the depth of both transverse and longitudinal grooves compared to the flat sheet.Meanwhile,the width of transverse grooves decreases slightly by about 10%on average,while the width of longitudinal microgrooves increases significantly by more than 30%on average.After micro-rolling,85°{102}tensile twins appear on the micro-grooved sheet and the percentage of 65°{112}compressive twins increases.After incremental forming,the percentage of low-angle grain boundaries and the density of geometrically necessary dislocations in the formed part increase significantly,and the grain size distribution becomes more uniform.The present work provides a new strategy for the fabrication of 3D metal thin-walled components with surface micro-features.

A toolpath strategy for improving geometric accuracy in double-sided incremental sheet forming

The double-sided incremental forming(DSIF)improved the process flexibility compared to other incremental sheet forming(ISF)processes.Despite the flexible nature,it faces the challenge of low geometric precision like ISF variants.In this work,two strategies are used to overcome this.First,a novel method is employed to determine the optimal support tool location for improving geometric precision.In this method,the toolpath oriented the tools to each other systematically in the circumferential direction.Besides,it squeezed the sheet by the same amount at the point of interest.The impacts of various support tool positions in the circumferential direction are evaluated for geometric precision.The results demonstrate that the support tool should support the master tool within 10°to its local normal in the circumferential direction to improve the geometric accuracy.Second,a two-stage process reduced the geometric error of the part by incrementally accommodating the springback error by artificially increasing the step size for the second stage.With the optimal support tool position and two-stage DSIF,the geometric precision of the part has improved significantly.The proposed method is compared to the best DSIF toolpath strategies for geometric accuracy,surface roughness,forming time,and sheet thickness fluctuations using grey relational analysis(GRA).It outperforms the other toolpath strategies including single-stage DSIF,accumulative double-sided incremental forming(ADSIF),and two-stage mixed double sided incre-mental forming(MDSIF).Our approach can improve geometric precision in complex parts by successfully employing the support tool and managing the springback incrementally.

Improving the forming performance of incrementally formed sheet parts with customized heat treatment strategies

Although incremental sheet forming(ISF)is an efficient way to manufacture customized parts,the forming performance and geometric accuracy of formed parts need to be improved to meet industrial application.One feasible solution for these problems is to adopt proper heat treatment strategies for the sheet material both before and during the forming process.In this paper,the effects of heat treatment before forming and heat-assisted forming on the formability and performance of formed parts were experimentally investigated.First,TA1 sheets were heat-treated at different temperatures before forming,and then the sheets were incrementally formed into the target shape with variable angles at different temperatures.After heat treatment,the strength of sheets was decreased due to the occurrence of recrystallization and the growth of grains.Meanwhile,the surface quality of formed parts was also improved with pre-heat treatment before forming.During the heat-assisted forming process,the sheet was softened and the deformation resistance was reduced with the increase of temperature.Therefore,the axial forming force was decreased obviously and the formability of the sheet was increased obviously.Furthermore,by adopting both heat treatment and heat-assisted forming,it was found that the forming force could be further reduced and the formability of the sheet and surface quality could be further improved.As for geometric accuracy,heat treatment has a good effect on improving it,while heat-assisted forming has adverse effect.These findings provide an effective heat treatment strategy for improving the geometric accuracy and surface quality of the incrementally formed parts with lower forming force.

Experimental and numerical investigation on surface quality for two-point incremental sheet forming with interpolator

The unsatisfied surface quality seriously impedes the wide application of incremental sheet forming(ISF)in industrial field.As a novel approach,the interpolator method is a promising strategy to enhance the surface quality in ISF.However,the mechanism for the improvement of surface quality and the influence of interpolator properties on surface roughness are not well understood.In this paper,the influences of process variables(i.e.tool diameter,step size and thickness of interpolators)on the forming process(e.g.surface roughness,forming force and geometric error)are investigated through a systematic experimental approach of central composite design(CCD)in two-point incremental sheet forming(TPIF).It is obtained that the increase in thickness of interpolators decreases the surface roughness in direction vertical to the tool path while increases the surface roughness in direction horizontal to the tool path.Nevertheless,the combined influence between thickness of interpolators and process parameters(tool diameter and step size)is limited.Meanwhile,the placement of interpolator has little influence on the effective forming force of blank.In addition,the geometric error enlarges with the increase of step size and thickness of interpolator while decreases firstly and then increase with an increase in tool diameter.Finally,the influencing mechanism of the interpolator method on surface quality can be attributed to the decrease of thecontact pressure due to the increase of contact area with the unchanged contact force.Meanwhile,the interpolator method eliminates the sliding friction on the surface of blank due to the stable relative position between the blank and the interpolator.

The influence of ultrasonic vibration on parts properties during incremental sheet forming

The integration of ultrasonic vibration into sheet forming process can significantly reduce the forming force and bring benefits including the enhancement of surface quality,the enhancement of formability and the reduction of spring-back.However,the influencing mechanisms of the high-frequency vibration on parts properties during the incremental sheet forming(ISF)process are not well known,preventing a more efficient forming system.This paper comprehensively investigates the effects of different process parameters(vibration amplitude,step-down size,rotation speed and forming angle)on the micro-hardness,minimum thickness,forming limit and residual stress of the formed parts.First,a series of truncated pyramids were formed with an experimental platform designed for the ultrasonic-assisted incremental sheet forming.Then,microhardness tests,minimum thickness measurements and residual stress tests were performed for the formed parts.The results showed that the surface micro-hardness of the formed part was reduced since the vibration stress induced by the ultrasonic vibration within the material which eliminated the original internal stress.The superimposed University,Beijing 100083,People’s Republic of China ultrasonic vibration can effectively uniform the residual stress and thickness distribution,arid improve the forming limit in the case of the small deformation rate.In addition,through the tensile fracture analysis of the formed part,it is shown that the elongation of material is improved and the elastic modulus and hardening index are decreased.The findings of the present work lay the foundation for a better integration of the ultrasonic vibration system into the incremental sheet forming process.

A GENERAL FORM OF THE INCREMENTS OF TWO-PARAMETER FRACTIONAL WIENER PROCESS

A general form of the increments of two-parameter fractional Wiener process is given. The results of Csoergo-Révész increments are a special case,and it also implies the results of the increments of the two-parameter Wiener process.

Formation mechanism and modeling of surface waviness in incremental sheet forming

mproving and controlling surface quality has always been a challenge for incremental sheet forming (ISF), whereas the generation mechanism of waviness surface is still unknown, which impedes the widely application of ISF in the industrial field. In this paper, the formation mechanism and the prediction of waviness are both investigated through experiments, numerical simulation, and theoretical analysis. Based on a verified finite element model, the waviness topography is predicted numerically for the first time, and its generation is attributed to the residual bending deformation through deformation history analysis. For more efficient engineering application, a theoretical model for waviness height is proposed based on the generation mechanism, using a modified strain function considering deformation modes. This work is favorable for the perfection of formation mechanism and control of surface quality in ISF.

Experimental investigation on slip conditions during thread rolling with flat dies

The process design of flat die rolling operations can be a tedious and costly process due to the challenges posed by small process windows.Within this work,an effort is made to closely investigate and understand the process limits caused by excessive slippage of the workpiece.Optical measurements are carried out to capture the characteristics of excessive slippage and the influence of the stroke rate and the tribological system on this process limit.Large differences in slippage were observed,depending on the tribological system.While systems with polymer based lubricants showed excessive slippage at low stroke rates,systems using oil or no lubricant endured higher stroke rates before process limits were reached.The optical measurements revealed three major forms of slippage:successful rolling without slippage,failure due to excessive slippage at process start,and failure due to excessive slippage at around one workpiece rotation.