| Resumo: | Incremental sheet forming processes like single point incremental forming have been majorly studied since the beginning of the 2000's. Besides the applications in the prototyping eld, ISF processes can also be used to the manufacture of unique parts and small batches. This possibility has a great potential for speed up new product development and to make products in smaller series economically viable. Also, this capability leads to a new business possibilities, enable the development of exclusive or custom products. However, mainly due to its novelty, SPIF industrial operation is still very apprehensive with just a few examples of application. The main purpose of the present work is to create tools that can be used for the SPIF process management and present examples of usage in di erent industrial elds. The SPIF process is studied using the SPIF-A machine design and built at the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Aveiro. Despite being a free form manufacture process, SPIF has some geometric limitations, manly due to the forming mechanics and formability limit of the materials. The possible part con gurations and the design orientation are settled, allowing a suitable part development. The hardware to perform incremental forming operations is outlined and the forming process is described, presenting alternative solutions both based on experimental work and state of the art review. A group of parts are developed and manufactured using SPIF as examples of industrial application. Parts are developed and evaluated to meet design and development requirements. New applications using SPIF as a rapid tooling process, typically exclusive form additive manufacturing technologies, are developed. The parity between SPIF and AM processes encounter industrial applications not only in prototyping or part manufacturing but also in tool development and fabrication. This novelty allows to decrease the time to market, decrease tooling cost and increase tooling complexity and consequential part design freedom in sheet metal moulds. The concept is developed and proof for a variety of thermoplastic and composite materials processing technologies.
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