A Study of Single Point Incremental Forming by Finite Element Analysis

The Single Point Incremental Forming process (SPIF) involves extensive plastic deformation. The complexity of the process results from high nonlinear boundary conditions, as well as from contact profile and frictional effects. The SPIF analysis is mathematically complex. However, due to the nature of these models, numerical approaches dominated by the Finite Element Analysis (FEA) are now in widespread use. The paper presents the data and the main results of a study on SPIF through FEA. This study has been focusing on the friction coefficient which allows modeling of geometries, boundary conditions and material properties. SPIF has been studied under certain process conditions referring to the test workpiece, punch tool, etc., using ANSYS 11.0. An important result is showing that the prediction model of the simulation clearly highlights the contact behavior between the punch tool and the workpiece. The study also shows the effect of the contact behavior on the thickness, strain and stress distributions, as well as on the accuracy of the product. Relevant dependences between the punch tool surface and the surface of the workpiece are shown in the demonstration samples.