Incremental sheet metal forming in general and Single Point Incremental Forming (SPIF) specifically have gone through a period of intensive development with growing attention from research institutes worldwide. The result of these efforts is significant progress in the understanding of the underlying forming mechanisms and opportunities as well as limitations associated with this category of flexible forming processes. Furthermore, creative process design efforts have enhanced the process capabilities and process planning methods. Also, simulation capabilities have evolved substantially. This review paper aims to provide an overview of the body of knowledge with respect to Single Point Incremental Forming. Without claiming to be exhaustive, each section aims for an up-to-date state-of-the-art review with corresponding conclusions on scientific progress and outlook on expected further developments.
One of the key application areas of Single Point Incremental Forming is in the manufacture of parts for bio-medical applications. This paper discusses the challenges associated with the manufacture of cranio-facial implants with extreme forming angles using medical grade titanium sheets. While on one hand, the failure wall angle is an issue of concern, the parts also need to be manufactured with accuracy at the edges where the implants fit into the human body. Systematic steps taken to overcome these challenges, using intelligent intermediate part design, feature analysis and compensation, are discussed. A number of case studies illustrating the manufacture of accurate parts in aluminium, stainless steel and titanium grade-2 alloy are discussed.
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