Integration of design rules and process modelling within SPIF technology-a review on the industrial dissemination of single point incremental forming

Incremental sheet forming (ISF) processes like single-point incremental forming (SPIF) have been majorly studied since the beginning of the 2000s. Besides the applications in the prototyping field, ISF processes can also be used in the manufacture of unique parts and small batches. This capability led to new business possibilities, enabling the development of exclusive or custom products. Despite being a free-form manufacture process, ISF has some geometric limitations, mainly due to the forming mechanics and formability limit of the materials. Thus, it is important to establish well-defined guidelines to grant a feasible design. This paper presents a knowledge basis to design and manufacture ISF parts, mainly by SPIF. The possible part configurations and the design orientation are settled, allowing for a suitable part development. The hardware to perform incremental forming operations is outlined and the forming process is described, presenting alternative solutions. The process modelling is completed with a brief description of methods to improve part quality.