Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Continuous sheet metal forming for doubly curved surface parts

  • Published:
International Journal of Precision Engineering and Manufacturing Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Continuous sheet metal forming (CSMF) is a novel technology for manufacturing doubly curved sheet metal parts. In this process, an upper flexible roll and two lower flexible rolls are employed as a forming tool, with the rotation of flexible rolls, the sheet metal is bent in the longitudinal and transverse directions simultaneously. In this study, the basic principle of CSMF system is introduced and the basic mathematical model to control the CSMF process is presented. Based on the analysis of the sheet metal deformation in longitudinal direction, the formulations to determine the finial curvature of the deformed sheet metal and to estimate the downward displacement of upper roll are obtained. Forming experiments for torus-shaped surface and saddle-shaped surface were carried out. The dimensional accuracy and smoothness of the CSMF parts were measured and analyzed. The experiment results confirm the validity of the presented mathematical models and shows that CSMF can be effectively used in forming of doubly curved surface parts.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Kunieda, M. and Nakagawa, T., “Manufacturing of laminated deep drawing dies by laser beam cutting,” Proceedings of the First ICTP, Tokyo, Japan, Vol. 1, pp. 520–525, 1984.

    Google Scholar 

  2. Hardt, D. E., Olsen, B. A., Allison, B. T., and Pasch, K., “Sheet metal forming with discrete die surfaces,” Proceedings of Ninth American Manufacturing Research Conference, pp. 140–144, 1981.

  3. Walczyk, D. F. and Hardt, D. E., “Design and analysis of reconfigurable discrete dies for sheet metal forming,” Journal of Manufacturing System, Vol. 17, No.6, pp. 436–454, 1998.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. Walczyk, D. F., Lakshmikanthan, J., and Kirt, D. R., “Development of a reconfigurable tool for forming aircraft body panels,” Journal of Manufacturing Systems, Vol. 17, No. 4, pp. 287–296, 1998.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Papazian, J. M., “Tools of change: Reconfigurable forming dies raise the efficiency of small-lot production,” Mechanical Engineering, Vol. 124, pp. 52–55, 2002.

    Google Scholar 

  6. Anagnostou, E. L., “Optimized tooling design algorithm for sheet metal forming over reconfigurable compliant tooling,” Ph.D. Thesis, Mechanical Engineering Solid Mechanics, State University of New York at Stony Brook, 2002.

  7. Cai, Z. Y. and Li, M. Z., “Optimum path forming technique for sheet metal and its realization in Multi-point forming,” Journal of Materials Processing Technology, Vol. 110, No. 2, pp. 136–141, 2001.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Cai, Z. Y. and Li, M. Z., “Multi-point forming of three-dimensional sheet metal and the control of the forming process,” International Journal of Pressure Vessels and Piping, Vol. 79, No. 4, pp. 289–296, 2002.

    Article  MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  9. Quan, G. Z., Ku, T. W., and Kang, B. S., “Improvement of Formability for Multi-point Bending Process of AZ31B Sheet Material Using Elastic Cushion,” Int. J. Precis. Eng. Manuf., Vol. 12, pp. 1023–1030, 2011.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. Li, M. Z., Cai, Z. Y., and Liu, C. G., “Flexible manufacturing of sheet metal parts based on digitized-die,” Robotics and Computer-Integrated Manufacturing, Vol. 23, No. 1, pp. 107–115, 2007.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. Li, M. Z., Cai, Z. Y., Sui, Z., and Li, X. J., “Principle and applications of multi-point matched-die forming for sheet metal,” Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Part B, Journal of Engineering Manufacture, Vol. 222, pp. 581–589, 2008.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. Mori, K., Yamamoto, M., and Osakada, K., “Determination of hammering sequence in incremental sheet metal forming using a genetic algorithm,” Journal of Materials Processing Technology, Vol. 60, pp. 463–468, 1996.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. Iseki, H. and Naganawa, T., “Vertical wall surface forming of rectangular shell using multistage incremental forming with spherical and cylindrical rollers,” Journal of Materials Processing Technology, Vol. 130–131, pp. 675–679, 2002.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  14. Emmens, W. C., Sebastiani, G., and van den Boogaard, A. H., “The technology of Incremental Sheet Forming-A brief review of the history,” Journal of Materials Processing Technology, Vol. 210, pp. 981–997, 2010.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. Yoon, S. J. and Yang, D. Y., “Development of a highly flexible incremental roll forming process for the manufacture of a doubly curved sheet metal,” CIRP Annals-Manufacturing Technology, Vol. 52, No. 1, pp. 201–204, 2003.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. Yoon, S. J. and Yang, D. Y., “An incremental roll forming process for manufacturing doubly curved sheets from general quadrilateral sheet blanks with enhanced process features,” CIRP Annals-Manufacturing Technology, Vol. 54, No. 1, pp. 221–224, 2005.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. Shim, D. S., Yang, D. Y., Han, M. S., Chung, S. W., Kim, K. H., and Roh, H. J., “Experimental study on manufacturing doubly curved plates using incremental rolling process,” ICTP 2008 (The 9th International Conference on Technology of Plasticity), pp. 2378–2383, 2008.

  18. Shim, D. S., Yang, D. Y., Kim, K. H., Han, M. S., and Chung, S. W., “Numerical and experimental investigation into cold incremental rolling of doubly curved plates for process design of a new LARS (line array roll set) rolling process,” CIRP Annals-Manufacturing Technology, Vol. 58, No. 1, pp. 239–242, 2009.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  19. Shim, D. S., Yang, D. Y., Kim, K. H., Chung, S. W., and Han, M. S., “Investigation into forming sequences for the incremental forming of doubly curved plates using the line array roll set (LARS) process,” International Journal of Machine Tools & Manufacture, Vol. 50, pp. 214–218, 2010.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  20. Li, M. Z., Hu, Z. Q., Cai, Z. Y., and Gong, X. P., “Method of efficient continuous plastic forming for freeform surface part,” Journal of Jilin University (Engineering and Technology Edition), Vol. 37, pp. 489–494, 2007 (in Chinese).

    Google Scholar 

  21. Hu, Z. Q., Li, M. Z., Cai, Z. Y., and Gong, X. P., “Continuous flexible forming of three-dimensional surface parts using bendable rollers,” Materials Science and Engineering A, Vol. 499, pp. 234–237, 2009.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  22. Cai, Z. Y., Li, M. Z., and Lan, Y. W., “Three-dimensional sheet metal continuous forming process based on flexible roll bending: principle and experiments,” Journal of Materials Processing Technology, Vol. 212, No. 1, pp. 120–127, 2012.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  23. Yu, T. X. and Johnson, W., “The plastica: The large elastic-plastic deflection of a struct,” Int. J. Non-linear Mechanics, Vol. 17, pp. 195–209, 1982.

    Article  MATH  Google Scholar 

  24. Cai, Z. Y., Lan, Y. W., and Li, M. Z., “Analytical analysis of three-roll bending of thin-plate,” Advanced Materials Research, Vol. 308–310, pp. 937–942, 2011.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  25. Cai, Z. Y. and Lan, Y. W., “Analysis on the straight-end problem in thin-plate three-roll bending,” Applied Mechanics and Materials, Vol. 80–81, pp. 585–590, 2011.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Roll Forging Research Institute, Jilin University (Nanling Campus), 5988 Renmin Street, Changchun, P.R.China, 130025

    Zhong-Yi Cai, Ying-Wu Lan, Ming-Zhe Li, Zhi-Qing Hu & Mi Wang

Authors
  1. Zhong-Yi Cai
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Ying-Wu Lan
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Ming-Zhe Li
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Zhi-Qing Hu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Mi Wang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Zhong-Yi Cai.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Cai, ZY., Lan, YW., Li, MZ. et al. Continuous sheet metal forming for doubly curved surface parts. Int. J. Precis. Eng. Manuf. 13, 1997–2003 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12541-012-0263-4

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12541-012-0263-4

Keywords

Search

Navigation