Incremental Sheet Forming With Cut Boundary Regions for Steep Walls

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Solution Overview

Problem

Incremental sheet forming processes struggle to form structures with wall angles greater than sixty degrees without tearing the material due to insufficient lateral movement of the sheet metal, which typically results in thinning and material damage.

Innovation Solution

A system and method involving a workpiece with a boundary region containing openings and connecting elements that allow for lateral movement of material during forming, using a forming tool to create structures with steep walls by cutting specific patterns into the workpiece before incremental sheet forming operations.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If incremental sheet forming is applied to structures with wall angles greater than sixty degrees, then the forming capability is improved, but the material thickness decreases to less than one half of the original thickness causing tearing

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveforming capability for steep wallsVSAvoidmaterial thickness

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The boundary region is segmented into a pattern of openings (removed material) and connecting elements (retained material). This segmentation allows the workpiece to be divided into an inner region that can be formed into steep walls and an outer region that provides material reservoir, with the connecting elements facilitating controlled material flow between regions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The boundary region pattern introduces a new dimensional aspect to the forming process by creating a two-dimensional pattern of openings and connecting elements that controls three-dimensional material flow. The pattern geometry (spacing, shape, orientation) in the planar dimension directly influences material draw-in behavior in the vertical dimension during forming.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Adaptability or versatility

If a boundary region with openings and connecting elements is cut into the workpiece, then material draw-in is enabled allowing steep wall formation, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvematerial draw-in capabilityVSAvoidboundary region structure

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The boundary region pattern enables the workpiece to self-regulate material flow during forming. The connecting elements automatically facilitate material draw-in from the outer region to the inner region based on the forming process requirements, without needing external control mechanisms. The pattern geometry itself encodes the material flow control logic.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

3Adaptability or versatility

If the boundary region is cut into the workpiece before forming, then the forming process for steep walls becomes feasible, but the manufacturing process complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesteep wall forming feasibilityVSAvoidmanufacturing process

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The boundary region pattern is created in advance through cutting or punching operations before the incremental sheet forming process. This preliminary action prepares the workpiece by removing material in specific patterns to create openings and connecting elements, enabling the subsequent forming process to achieve steep walls that would otherwise be impossible.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The system enables the formation of structures with steep walls maintaining a thickness of at least 50% of the original blank thickness by allowing significant draw-in of sheet material, preventing material tearing and ensuring structural integrity.

Implementation Method 1

incremental sheet forming includes forming a structure or a workpiece by a series of incremental forming operations, or plastic deformations on/to a starting blank

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectPlastic deformation: Plasticity

Data Source

PatentUS12358093B2Incremental sheet forming systems and methods for forming structures having steep walls

Publication Date: 2025.07.15 THE BOEING CO

AI summary

A system and method for forming a structure with steep walls (walls having an angle greater than 60° with respect to a level plane) through one or more incremental sheet forming operations is provided. The method includes a workpiece with an inner region and an outer region that are separated by a boundary region. The boundary region includes a plurality of openings and a plurality of connecting elements. The openings are cut into the workpiece using a boundary region cutting tool. A forming tool is configured to operate on the inner region after the boundary region cutting operation has been completed. At least one control unit is in communication with the forming tool. The at least one control unit operates the forming tool to form the structure from the inner region.