The effect of process parameters on forming forces in single point incremental forming

Abstract Recently, single point incremental forming has caught the attention of automotive and aerospace industry as an alternative to conventional stamping process as an economical process capable of manufacturing sheet metal prototypes devoid of expensive dies. The first objective of the study was to ascertain the nature of cutting forces expected during the single point incremental forming process. The second objective is to study the effect of different process parameters on these forming forces. Detailed experiments were conducted based on the Taguchi’s robust design approach. Forming forces were measured for different working conditions (sheet thickness, wall angle, tool diameter, and step down). Based on the experimental results, several conclusions were made on the effect of process parameters on the forming forces. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to identify the most significant control factors and their interactions. From the experimental findings, an attempt was also made to find the optimal combination of the process parameters on the basis of a proposed predictive mathematical model. Finally, the study proposed guidelines for forming thick sheets and improving production rate of SPIF process.