Incremental sheet metal forming (ISMF): A literature review

Abstract

Incremental Forming process is a flexible and versatile process with a promising future in batch manufacturing and prototyping sectors. Traditional sheet metal forming processes usually involve high costs due to the design and manufacturing processes involved in it, more over the design of die is unique for every individual component. The contemporary sheet metal industry employs forming methods which uses precise punch and dies to form components with precise tolerances. In mass production the high cost involved in the manufacture of dies and punches are absorbed by the number of components formed, whereas this is not the case for low volume production which increases the manufacturing cost of products in low volume production. To solve this, Incremental forming process - a rapid sheet metal forming process has been introduced and is under research for couple of decades. This process still need to be improved in accepts of accuracy and product quality. ISF process needs the following in most of the cases: a simple tool, a fixture for holding sheet material and a universal Computer Controlled Machine (CNC) machine. This paper aim to describe the current status of incremental forming techniques in terms of input process parameters and their influences, formability limit, accuracy, surface finish and the current trend research directions.