Incremental Sheet Metal Forming with Multiple-Head Tool

A new method with a multiple-head tool for incremental forming was proposed and investigated. The rolling heads of a forming tool pressed a sheet with rotation during a forming process. Some truncated components were made from a thin Al2024-O aluminiumalloy plate by this method with inward tool path. Trials suggested that this method can easily improve the forming efficency and surface roughness. The forming limit was investigated by experiments. The strain distribution was compared between experiment and equivalent FEM model which used a simplify method to built the incremental forming process with multiple-head tool. An analysis model of tool path was developed and the local and total strain was calculated. The results agreed with experimental ones.