Incremental forming can be an alternative manufacturing means in producing biomedical parts characterized by the need of patient-specific geometry. A novel hybrid dieless sheet metal forming process, electrically-assisted mixed double-sided incremental forming (E-MDSIF), is proposed to manufacture difficult-to-form Ti6Al4V sheets. E-MDSIF is a spark-free technique shown to increase the formability and the geometric accuracy while decreasing the forming force. The effects of the electrical process on microstructure, micro-hardness and surface roughness of the formed parts are investigated. Additionally, comparisons between E-MDSIF and the conventional E-ISF processes are illustrated based on fundamental mechanics. Limitations and potential applications are presented.

Peer Reviewed