Origins and Evolution

Conception

Incremental Sheet Forming was first proposed in the 1960s to address manufacturing requirements for complex sheet metal parts through deformations along a specified 3D toolpath. Key characteristics highlighted by inventors, such as Edward Leszak (1967), included that the process should:

Patent: "Apparatus and process for incremental dieless forming"
Figures from Leszak's 1967 patent application.

Early Development

ISF enables process automation for manufacturing prototypes and customised products, and ISF process development can be easily customised. The key steps of the generalised process include:

Although the original patent was filed in the 1960s, ISF began to gain research attention following the popularisation of CNC technology in the 1990s. Thirty years of research and development have resulted in various process variants, from single-point, two-point and double-sided incremental forming to advanced processes such as laser-assisted, electricity-assisted, ultrasonic-vibration-assisted, and friction stir ISF.

Clamps, backing plate, forming tool, workpiece and work rig.
A conventional ISF setup.

A recent large-scale project led by Ford Motor Co and supported by the US Department of Energy estimated that the adoption of double-sided incremental forming could reduce energy consumption and material scrap by 70% and reduce low-volume production costs by up to 90%.

A 2020 study predicted that, in the US car industry, the implementation of ISF could lead to potential mean [energy and cost] savings of around 100 TJprimary and 60 million U.S. dollars per year by 2030.

Looking Forward…

ISF has process limitations which remain to be addressed.

Just like other early-stage innovations, today's developments are only a stepping stone to a promising future.

Examples of issues: geometric deviation; surface roughness; material formability and fracture