Exploration of wall angle and tool rotation on surface roughness in Negative Incremental Forming Process

Abstract

A significant augmentation in the obsolescence of traditional forming techniques results in the strong requirement of developing an emerging and flexible process to fabricate the user-ready parts in the manufacturing units. Single Point Incremental Forming (SPIF) also known as “negative incremental forming” has shown its viability as a novel and emerging forming method for fabricating the customized and batch-type products of sheet materials to satisfy the need of various potential sectors including medical, automobile, and aerospace. This method directly exempts the involvement of dedicated die-sets and turns into the choice of green manufacturing. The surface quality of fabricated parts can greatly decide the suitability and sustainability of the process in various applications. In the current study, the impact of wall angle and tool rotation have been explored for surface roughness during SPIF. Results revealed that the increase in spindle speed resulted in the decrease of Ra value of formed components. Moreover, the Ra value of formed components was found to decrease by 50 % when the experimental condition was changed from the combination of higher levels of wall angle and “free-to-rotate” condition of spindle speed to the combination of lower levels of wall angle (60°) and a higher level of spindle speed (1500 rpm).