High-Speed Incremental Forming - New Technologies For Flexible Production Of Sheet Metal Parts

High-speed forming technologies have a very high potential for shaping complex parts and constitute a key means of reducing a component's weight. For many materials they offer advantages such as low tool cost, high tool flexibility and extended forming limits at room temperature,. Hence, stringent emission regulations can be fulfilled and essential resources are saved.The limited forming zone, however, makes it impossible to achieve flexible, cost-efficient production of complex large-surface parts by high-speed forming alone. In order to overcome this problem, this paper suggests two different innovative forming concepts which enhance the pulsed-power-driven, high-speed forming technologies of electrohydraulic forming and electromagnetic forming by applying an incremental strategy. The concept is presented for both technologies, with a description of the different setups required for achieving the incremental movement in the forming sequence, employing guide railsand an industrial robot. Advantages and limits are discussed, and first experimental results prove the feasibility and give an impression of the process potential.