Feasibility Study of the SPIF Process Applied to Perforated Sheet Metals

Single point incremental forming (SPIF) of sheet metal is a process that is widely used for rapid prototyping and small series production. The process is known for its flexibility, performance, and ease of use in forming custom parts with complex geometries. However, SPIF seems to present many challenges, especially its use in the biomedical sector, where control of operating parameters and compliance with component dimensions are production qualification requirements. This includes springback, which particularly affects the dimensional and geometric compliance of the formed part to the programmed one. This paper describes the results obtained from a design of experiment (DOE) related to the forming process of perforated plates produced by the SPIF process applied to AZ31B Magnesium alloy. The comparative analysis between the responses of obtained parts without holes and obtained ones from perforated plates showed discrepancies between the collected responses.