The influence of tool rotation on an incremental forming process

Incremental forming is a sheet metal forming process characterized by high flexibility; for this reason, it is suggested for rapid prototyping and customised products. On the other hand, this process is slower than traditional ones and requires in-depth studies to know the influence of certain process parameters. The purpose of this study is to investigate the influence of tool rotation on an incremental forming process. Pyramid frusta are created for different speeds and both directions of tool rotation, starting with aluminium alloy sheets; a punch with hemispherical head is used as tool. The variation of speed of tool rotation puts into the variation of friction coefficients, so these ones are preliminarily evaluated for different speeds, in order to explain the influence of tool rotation in terms of forming forces. temperatures reached and surface roughness. The evaluation of these quantities highlights the influence of tool rotation, both in terms of speed and direction of rotation, on the components of the forming forces in the sheet plane, whereas neither the heating of the sheet caused by the friction nor the surface finishing feel the effects of this parameter significantly. (C) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.