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Development of a Robot‐Based Sheet Metal Forming Process
Author(s) -
Meier Horst,
Dewald Oliver,
Zhang Jian
Publication year - 2005
Publication title -
steel research international
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.603
H-Index - 49
eISSN - 1869-344X
pISSN - 1611-3683
DOI - 10.1002/srin.200505990
Subject(s) - frustum , sheet metal , process (computing) , incremental sheet forming , forming processes , formability , deformation (meteorology) , kinematics , mechanical engineering , engineering drawing , flexibility (engineering) , geometry , engineering , computer science , materials science , composite material , mathematics , statistics , physics , classical mechanics , operating system
This paper describes a new sheet metal forming process for the production of sheet components for prototypes and small lot sizes. The generation of the shape is based on kinematics and is implemented by means of a new forming machine consisting of two industrial robots. Compared to conventional sheet metal forming machines, this newly developed forming process offers a high geometrical form flexibility, and comparatively small deformation forces enable high deformation degrees. The principle of the procedure is based on flexible shaping by means of a freely programmable path‐synchronous movement of the two robots. The final shape is produced by the incremental infeed of the forming tool in depth direction and its movement along the contour in lateral direction at each level of the depth direction. The supporting tool with its simple geometry is used to support the sheet metal and follows the forming tool at the rear side of the sheet metal. The sheet metal components manufactured in first attempts are of simple geometry like frustum and frustum of pyramids as well as spherical cups. Among other things the forming results are improved by an adjustment of the movement strategy, a variation of individual process parameters and geometric modifications of the tools. In addition to a measurement of the form deviations of the sheet with a Coordinate Measurement Machine, screened and deformed sheets are used for deformation analyses. Furthermore, the incremental forming process is analysed with assistance of the finite element method. In total the results show that a robot‐based sheet metal forming with kinematic shape generation is possible and leads to acceptable forming results. In order to be able to use the potential of this process, a goal‐oriented process design is as necessary as specific process knowledge. In order to achieve process stability and safety, the essential process parameters and the process boundaries have to be determined.