Effects of process parameters on force reduction and temperature variation during ultrasonic assisted incremental sheet forming process

The incremental sheet forming (ISF) is an innovative dieless forming process featured with high formability and short lead time which is suitable for rapid prototyping and small volume production. The integration of ultrasonic (US) vibration into the ISF process can significantly reduce the forming force and bring other benefits. In this work, the impacts of process parameters including the sheet material, US power, feeding speed, and tool diameter, on force reduction and temperature increment were studied. The force reduction contains two components—the stress superposition-induced force reduction and acoustic softening-induced force reduction. The stress superposition-induced force reduction was analyzed by finite element simulation while the total force reduction was detected by experiments since currently, the unknown mechanism of the acoustic softening cannot be modeled. The temperature increment was measured by a high-speed infrared camera. The results show that the force reduction can go up to 56.58% and the temperature increment can be as high as 24.55 °C. In general, the material with a higher yield stress results in a higher force reduction and a higher temperature increment. A higher US power or a lower feeding speed can significantly enhance the force reduction and the interface temperature increment. The tool with a smaller diameter has a comparable effect as a larger tool, but a larger vibration amplitude is required.     

Investigating the temperature from friction stir in the SPIF process via an infrared imager

Single point incremental forming (SPIF) is a highly flexible forming process for sheet metal. It has low production costs be-cause the process does not use a die. It is suitable for prototyping and made-to-order production. Currently, the SPIF process employs the concept of heat to increase formability. The idea is to generate heat from friction caused by sliding the tool against the workpiece, called “friction stir”. This research proposed to study the behavior of temperature that occurs when affected by the tool rotation speed and the feed rate, which are both variables affecting friction stir. This research adopted the method of detecting temperature with infrared cameras and online recording data. The camera sensor received data as 8-bit images containing data from 0 to 255. The value of each position represented the temperature level. In this research, the mini-mum-maximum temperature range was set at 80–300 degrees Celsius for forming the hot dipped zinc coat roll steel sheet at a thickness of 0.2 mm using the SPIF process. The variable parameters were the tool rotation speed and feed rate. The tool rotation speed was categorized as high and used no sliding friction with feed rates of 500, 1000, 1500 mm/min. Concerning the results analysis, this study used the relationships between tool rotational speed and feed rate, shown as relative sliding velocity. The results showed with significance that the increase of the maximum temperature in the process corresponded to an increase in relative sliding velocity using a tool rotational speed and feed rate with no relative sliding velocity. The process temperature was close to room temperature. Relative sliding velocity at approximately 6000 and 10000 mm/min caused a maximum temperature of approximately 160–180 and 200–250 degrees Celsius, respectively. Another issue found in the experiment was that not turning the tool reduced the formability of the process.

     

Determining frustum depth of 304 stainless steel plates with various diameters and thicknesses by incremental forming

Nowadays incremental forming is more popular because of its flexibility and cost saving. However, no engineering data is available for manufacturers for forming simple shapes like a frustum by incremental forming, and either expensive experimental tests or finite element analysis (FEA) should be employed to determine the depth of a frustum considering: thickness, material, cone diameter, wall angle, feed rate, tool diameter, etc. In this study, finite element technique, confirmed by experimental study, was employed for developing applicable curves for determining the depth of frustums made from 304 stainless steel (SS304) sheet with various cone angles, thicknesses from 0.3 to 1 mm and major diameters from 50 to 200 mm using incremental forming. Using these curves, the frustum angle and its depth knowing its thickness and major diameter can be predicted. The effects of feed rate, vertical pitch and tool diameter on frustum depth and surface quality were also addressed in this study.     

Part accuracy improvement in two point incremental forming with a partial die using a model predictive control algorithm

As a flexible forming technology, Incremental Sheet Forming (ISF) is a promising alternative to traditional sheet forming processes in small-batch or customised production but suffers from low part accuracy in terms of its application in the industry. The ISF toolpath has direct influences on the geometric accuracy of the formed part since the part is formed by a simple tool following the toolpath. Based on the basic structure of a simple Model Predictive Control (MPC) algorithm designed for Single Point Incremental Forming (SPIF) in our previous work Lu et al. (2015) [1] that only dealt with the toolpath correction in the vertical direction, an enhanced MPC algorithm has been developed specially for Two Point Incremental Forming (TPIF) with a partial die in this work. The enhanced control algorithm is able to correct the toolpath in both the vertical and horizontal directions. In the newly-added horizontal control module, intensive profile points in the evenly distributed radial directions of the horizontal section were used to estimate the horizontal error distribution along the horizontal sectional profile during the forming process. The toolpath correction was performed through properly adjusting the toolpath in two directions based on the optimised toolpath parameters at each step. A case study for forming a non-axisymmetric shape was conducted to experimentally validate the developed toolpath correction strategy. Experiment results indicate that the two-directional toolpath correction approach contributes to part accuracy improvement in TPIF compared with the typical TPIF process that is without toolpath correction.     

Effects of three parameters on forming force of the single point incremental forming process

This research has examined the effects of three parameter groups on the forming force of single point incremental forming (SPIF) process. The parameters under study include the material types (sheet aluminum, brass and copper), the forming angles (30°, 40° and 50°), and the tool revolution speeds (200, 400 and 600 rpm). The metal forming was carried out using a spherical edge tool which was pressed onto the metal surface to form work pieces of truncated pyramid shape. In the experiment, the forming forces were measured and analyzed to determine an optimal parameter combination, with regard to the material type, forming angle and revolution speed, for the SPIF process. The experimental results showed that all three parameter groups exerted varying influences over the forming force of the SPIF process. The findings indicated that the sheet brass exhibited the highest force value and that the smaller forming angle contributed to the greater forming force. In addition, the higher tool revolution speed resulted in the lower forming force.

     

Improving profile accuracy in SPIF process through statistical optimization of forming parameters

In single-point incremental forming (SPIF) process, a number of parameters are involved and need to be adjusted before the commencement of the forming operation. The inappropriate selection of these parameters could be detrimental to process accuracy. In this paper, the effect of five parameters, namely, sheet thickness, tool radius, step size, wall angle, and pre-straining level of sheet, on the profile accuracy of the produced part of AA1060 with SPIF is experimentally investigated. A response surface method is employed for the experimental design and regression analysis. The experimental results are presented in the form of graphical three-dimensional response surfaces. The results of ANOVA show that the sheet thickness, wall angle, step size, and the interaction between the sheet thickness and wall angle are extremely significant in terms of their effect on profile accuracy. Furthermore, an empirical model is proposed to achieve improved profile accuracy in terms of the optimized parameters.     

Study on multiple-step incremental air-bending forming of sheet metal with springback model and FEM simulation

A mathematical model of springback radius was developed with dimensional analysis and orthogonal test. With this model, the punch radius could be solved for forming high-precision semiellipse-shaped workpieces. With the punch radius and other geometrical parameters of a tool, a 2D ABAQUS finite-element model (FEM) was established. Then, the forming process of sheet metal multiple-step incremental air bending was simulated with the FEM. The result showed that average errors of the simulated workpiece were +0.68/?0.65 mm, and provided the process data consisting of sheet feed rate, punch displacement and springback angle in each step. A semiellipse-shaped workpiece, whose average errors are +0.68/?0.69 mm, was made with the simulation data. These results indicate that the punch design method is feasible with the mathematical model, and the means of FEM simulation is effective. It can be taken as a new approach for sheet metal multiple-step incremental air-bending forming and tool design.     

Two-directional toolpath correction in single-point incremental forming using model predictive control

Incremental sheet forming (ISF) is an emerging forming technology that promises high flexibility and formability. These properties make it suited for small-scale and customised production. However, the poor geometric accuracy of ISF limits the wide application of this flexible forming technology. This paper presents a two-directional toolpath correction approach to enhance ISF forming accuracy using a model predictive control (MPC) algorithm. A toolpath optimisation method for vertical toolpath correction has been validated in our previous work (Lu et al., Int J Adv Manuf Technol 72:1–14, 2015), and it helps to reduce errors in the base of the test shapes to a suitable level while its major limitation is that horizontal geometric errors are relatively large. This paper extends our previous work (Lu et al., Int J Adv Manuf Technol 72:1–14, 2015) by augmenting the vertical control module with a new control module for horizontal toolpath correction. The proposed control algorithm was experimentally validated in single-point incremental sheet forming (SPIF) using two forming case studies. In the first case study (a truncated pyramid), two control approaches with different assumptions for the horizontal springback distribution along the horizontal cross-sectional profile were tested and compared. Then, the developed MPC control algorithm was applied to form a more complex asymmetric shape. The results show that the developed strategy can reduce the forming errors in the wall and base of the formed shape compared to the existing works. The ISF process with MPC control leads to significant accuracy improvement in comparison with the typical ISF process that is without toolpath control.     

The formability of annealed and pre-aged AA-2024 sheets in single-point incremental forming

The formability of AA-2024 sheets, an aerospace grade material, in the annealed and pre-aged conditions has been investigated in the single-point incremental forming (SPIF) process. The major operating parameters, namely step size, tool radius, and forming speed, of SPIF process were varied over wide ranges, and their effect on the formability was quantified through a response surface method called as central composite rotational design. It was found that the interaction of step size and tool radius is very significant on the formability. Moreover, a variation in the forming speed does not affect the formability of annealed AA-2024 sheet. However, the formability of pre-aged AA-2024 sheet decreases with the increase in the forming speed. Furthermore, the annealed sheet shows higher formability than the pre-aged sheet.     

基于响应面法的单点增量成形过程变形能优化

单点增量成形过程中的变形能对加工成本控制及工具头与材料之间的热效应和摩擦效应有直接影响。以典型圆锥形制件为研究对象,采用BBD实验方法,设计四因素三水平实验方案,利用响应面法研究工具头直径d、层间距Z、板厚t和成形角α对变形能的影响,并得到变形能的多元二次预测模型,最后以变形能最小为目标对该模型进行优化。实验结果表明：板厚对变形能的线性影响最显著,随着板厚的增大变形能增大,工具头直径越大所需变形能越大,成形角增大时所需的变形能增大;变形能最小的工艺参数组合是工具头直径4.0mm、层间距0.95mm、板厚0.57mm、成形角45°。     

Numerical simulation and experimental investigation of multistage incremental sheet forming

Multistage forming is usually adopted to form those parts which have steep angles or even vertical walls during incremental sheet forming (ISF) process. In order to study the multistage incremental forming further, based on a finite element method model which was experimentally verified, different forming strategies were adopted to form a frustum of cone with a wall angle of 30° to research the influence of the number of forming stages (n) and the incremental wall angle between the two adjacent stages (?α) on the formability of ISF. The simulation results including the thickness distribution, the equivalent plastic strain, and the magnitude of springback were analyzed in detail. It was found that with the growth of n, the minimum thickness increases largely, and more uniform thickness distribution is achieved, but the quantity of springback becomes larger in contrast with a single-pass process because of the accumulation of springback during each forming stage. Furthermore, an expression to figure out the appropriate value of n was given. In addition, the maximum thickness reduction decreases initially and then increases as the value of ?α grows. Meanwhile, it indicates that there is no relation between ?α and the quantity of springback.     

Investigation on the forming force and surface quality during ultrasonic-assisted incremental sheet forming process

The integration of ultrasonic vibration into the incremental sheet forming (ISF) process can significantly reduce the forming force and bring other benefit     

Formability evaluation of a pure titanium sheet in the cold incremental forming process

Owing to its ability to deform a sheet metal locally, the single point incremental forming (SPIF) process produces larger deformations as compared to the conventional forming processes. In the present study, we investigated the effect of some process parameters – pitch, tool diameter, feed rate and friction at the interface between the tool and blank – on the formability of a commercially-pure titanium sheet. Trends between the process parameters and formability are presented in this paper.     

Numerical simulation of electric hot incremental sheet forming of 1050 aluminum with and without preheating

Incremental sheet forming (ISF) consists of deforming the sheet, through a spherical punch, punctually and progressively until it reaches the desired geometry. Compared to the conventional process, the ISF can achieve much higher levels of formability. But the stresses and residual strains are often pushed to the limit on the path, producing a piece with brittle behavior, which is not desirable for applications in engineering. To work around this inconvenience, one solution would be to perform the conformation at high temperatures, a process known in engineering as hot forming. This study aims to evaluate the behavior of the state of stresses and strains in the hot incremental sheet forming of 1050 aluminum alloy, with and without pre-heating, using the finite element method. This behavior has been studied by numerical simulation, using the software RADIOSS, which has a suitable formulation for inserting the effects of temperature and strain rate in the material. The results show a decline in the forces for electric hot incremental sheet forming preheated (EHISFP) compared to the electric hot incremental sheet forming (EHISF). Moreover, for these same cases, there was a gain in relation to the geometric precision on average more than 4%.     

Correlation between different cutting conditions,surface roughness and dimensional accuracy when ball end micro milling material measures with freeform surfaces

Abstract

Material measures are used to calibrate topography measuring instruments. Micro-milling is a suitable process for the manufacturing of areal material measures in particular of material measures featuring freeform surfaces. To improve their surface quality and to minimize their deviations from the target geometry, the cutting parameters feed per tooth respectively feed rate and spindle speed are examined in this study. Dependent on the varied parameters the deviation of the manufactured topography from its target geometry, the deviation to the nominal surface texture parameters and the short-wavelength roughness parameters are evaluated. Two different ball end micro-mills and two different target geometries are chosen to investigate whether the observed dependence on the varied parameters are valid independent from the tool and the target geometry. It is illustrated that the feed rate has a large influence on the dimensional accuracy: the dynamic properties of the axes are identified as reason for the decreasing amplitude with increasing feed rate. The spindle speed only influences the short wavelength roughness and has a minor influence on the surface quality.     

Application of hot press forming process to manufacture an automotive part and its finite element analysis considering phase transformation plasticity

An automotive flex plate that is installed in the automotive engine and delivers a torque to a transmission is manufactured by hot press forming technique. By this technique, significant increase of strength through quenching of heated high carbon SK5 steel sheet and higher dimensional stability after forming through the press operation at high temperature can be attainable. The indirect method with a pre-forming step and direct oil quenching to attain uniform and fast cooling rate are employed considering cooling characteristics of the SK5 steel and large thickness of the flex plate. A new tool design is proposed for the hot press forming process, and an optimized heat treatment condition is determined by studying two frequently utilized heat treatments: austempering and quenching with tempering heat treatments. By introducing designed tools and selected heat treatment condition, the target product can be successfully manufactured, which satisfies two main manufacturer's specifications: high hardness and good dimensional accuracy. Moreover, finite element analysis, which considers transformation induced plasticity (TRIP) during phase transformations, is performed to understand the thermo-mechanical behavior of hot press formed sheet. The analysis verifies that phase transformations play significant roles in strengthening by transforming hard martensitic phase and in reducing dimensional change by additional plastic deformation during phase transformations.     

Mechanical property of Ti-6Al-4V sheet in one-sided electric hot incremental forming

Although Ti-6Al-4V titanium can be quickly and easily formed by electric hot incremental forming, the material property is the key factor for industrial application. In the current work, mechanical properties of Ti-6Al-4V sheet in one-sided electric hot incremental forming, such as microstructure, hardness, and tensile strength, were investigated. The results show that the current is obviously the most important factor to elevate temperature, so a higher feed rate can be adopted if the current is increased. In order to keep a constant processing temperature, an online temperature detector and current feedback system should be adopted. After observation and analysis of the microstructure of forming workpieces, the electric hot incremental forming is an integrated process, which involves plastic hardening and annealing. The temperature of the tool–workpiece contact side reached the β-transus one, α phase disappeared, and the basket weave structure was formed because of the fast air-cool. A composite organization with superior property which includes elongated α phase grains and basket weave structure can be acquired by one-sided electric hot incremental forming. If a uniform metal structure is obtained, special heat treatment must be adopted. Micro-hardness analysis shows that electric hot incremental forming is an enhanced processing. In order to improve the tensile strength, the oxidation of sheet must be prevented and inert gas protection should be adopted in future research.     

质子交换膜燃料电池双极板累积成形研究

质子交换膜燃料电池双极板是关键部件之一,具有隔离和均匀分配反应气体、收集导出电流、串联各单电池等功能,大概占电池组质量的80%,是影响电池组性价比的主要原因之一。提出了针对微型双极板累积成形新方法,介绍了其工作原理。在此基础上,以蛇形流道为例,利用ABAQUS模拟软件研究其成形规律,获得了不同垂直压下量的板厚分布和减薄率情况。结果显示成形后的板料厚度变化呈倒U形,中间区域较均匀;随着垂直压下量的增大,板料的厚度减薄愈大,而且在流道的起点和终点段的厚度变化较大。累积成形过程中成形力变化为U形,成形力最大处在下压量的起始点,模拟与实验吻合度较好,验证了累计成形的可行性。     

An approach to eliminate stepped features in multistage incremental sheet forming process: Experimental and FEA analysis

Incremental sheet forming (ISF) is a recently developed manufacturing technique. In ISF, forming is done by applying deformation force through the motion of Numerically controlled (NC) single point forming tool on the clamped sheet metal blank. Single Point Incremental sheet forming (SPISF) is also known as a die-less forming process because no die is required to fabricate any component by using this process. Now a day it is widely accepted for rapid manufacturing of sheet metal components. The formability of SPISF process improves by adding some intermediate stages into it, which is known as Multi-stage SPISF (MSPISF) process. However during forming in MSPISF process because of intermediate stages stepped features are generated. This paper investigates the generation of stepped features with simulation and experimental results. An effective MSPISF strategy is proposed to remove or eliminate this generated undesirable stepped features.     

Incremental forming path-generated method based on the intermediate models of bulging simulation

This paper discusses the strategy of incremental forming and presents a novel forming strategy for tool path generation. To equalize the strain distribution of sheet metal and improve the forming limit, multistage forming is made to reference a hydraulic bulging forming. Under the liquid pressure, a plate sheet gradually approaches the final shape. A hydraulic bulging numerical simulation is used to obtain a series of intermediate surfaces. Then, CNC codes can be generated in CAM software based on the surfaces. The codes are the tool spatial feed paths for single-point incremental sheet metal forming. The paper focuses on the feasibility investigation, and the experiment proved it. The behaviors of forming and the distribution of thickness are also discussed and concluded that the forming limit of the sheet can be improved by imitating the approach between intermediate surfaces.