PERFORMANCE ANALYSIS OF MULTI-POINT INCREMENTAL FORMING TOOL USING MARTENSITIC AISI 420 SHEET METALS.

Incremental Sheet metal Forming (ISF) Process is a suitable process which helps to produce various parts used in automotive sector by rapid prototyping. This method of producing a prototype helps industry in reducing the production cost. In ISF process, a final product is evolved through local deformation of the sheet metal made by the tool. Usually better formability is obtained when the tool makes a better contact with the sheet metal throughout the process. Improved formability elevates dimensional accuracy of the product, thus increases the market value of the product. A new tool with multiple ball ends capable of making multiple mating points over sheet metal was used in this research to enhance the efficiency of formability and surface finish. Ability of the new Multi-Point Incremental Forming Tool (MPIF) was investigated and compared to the existing Single Point Forming Tool (SPIF) based on the formability and surface finish. Forming Limit Diagram (FLD), Strain Distribution (SD) and Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) were used to examine the formability of the sheet metal. The SEM & 3D-Surface roughness profilometer were used to observe the sheet metals surface finish. In addition to these experimental techniques a simulation results were also used to predict the stress and strain rate during forming process. The experimentation and simulation outcome shows that the MPIF provides superior formability and surface finish. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]