Experimental and Numerical Study on Force Reduction in SPIF by Using Response Surface

The single point incremental forming process is an emerging process which presents an alternative to the conventional sheet-metal forming processes like stamping and drawing. It is particularly suitable for prototyping and low production thanks to its flexibility and low cost. The objective of this paper is to study the incremental forming of titanium grade2 and AISI 304L stainless steel sheets. The forming force of sheet titanium grade2 and 304L steel parts formed by single point incremental process depends on different parameters (tool path, tool size, materials and shape, friction, etc.). During the process, considerable forces can occur which must be controlled to ensure the safe use of the CNC milling machine. The aim of this paper is to study the effect of different process parameters on the maximal force. Experimental and numerical studies are performed. An optimization method based on the use of an experimental design and response surface method is used to minimize the forming force.