A Review on Flexible Forming of Sheet Metal Parts

The automotive industry is facing intensified challenges due to shortened product life cycles, increasing individualization, an uncertain demand, and pressure to innovate caused by e-mobility. Currently, there is no suitable technology for the economic production of deep drawn parts in low quantities. Due to tooling lead time and costs, deep drawing is only economical in high quantities. To ensure profitability along common annual quantities, the literature shows various approaches, e.g. sheet metal forming by AM tools. Therefore, the aim of this paper is to summarize current approaches presented in the literature and evaluate those using criteria, e.g. tooling costs, sustainability, and product flexibility.