Variation in Forming Forces Due to Different Tool Movements for PVC Sheet in Incremental Sheet Forming Process

Incremental sheet forming (ISF) is a promising manufacturing process in which flat material sheets are gradually formed into 3-Dimentional (3D) shapes using a generic forming tool. Since the process features benefits of reduced forming forces, enhanced formability and greater process flexibility, it has a great potential to achieve economic pay off for rapid prototyping applications and for small batch production in various applications. Although substantial research has been done in the past decades on ISF, there is still a lack of an efficient prediction of forming force to facilitate the production design and optimization of the process. Also, unsatisfactory part is quality obtained still hampers its wide use in industrial applications. In past the force prediction is done for considering different parameters i.e. feed, speed, depth of cut, sheet thickness, tool radius etc. But work done in the field of force prediction by different tool movements is very less. Therefore, the work presented in this thesis is mainly focused on efficient forming force prediction for different tool movements and its improvement. The force prediction is done by experimental method in which tool movement is changed by taking the other parameters constant. Forces are find out in the different directions on CNC milling machine using force sensor. By this work the efficient condition of less force and better formability is find. This work also helps in decreasing the time and increasing the surface finishing during the process. The limits of the proposed model are also identified and the potential of future improvements are suggested.