Novel systems and methods for an incremental forming process to manufacture a product are disclosed herein. The system and method generally involves continuously modifying the toolpath in real-time based upon the forming force of the forming tool compared to a predicted springback error established offline from a series of simplified simulations. The system and method disclosed herein are effective to form products with complex geometries and minimizes the costs and time requirements associated with prior art techniques.

Presented are metalworking systems for forming metallic workpieces, methods for making/operating such metalworking systems, and battery module cell tabs bent by a multistage cluster-and-bend press. A metalworking system includes a grouping tool and a contouring tool that both align adjacent a workpiece support structure, such as a base plate of a battery module housing buttressing a stack of battery pouch cells. The grouping tool, which may include a first reciprocating plunger or plunger head, presses together a stack of metallic workpieces to thereby form a workpiece set having a first bend profile and a first length. The contouring tool, which may include a second reciprocating plunger or a pair of plunger fingers mounted on the plunger head, is attached to the grouping tool and bends the workpiece set to a second bend profile, distinct from the first bend profile, and a second set length, shorter than the first set length.

The present invention is directed to a dual sided incremental sheet forming apparatus and method for incrementally forming sheet materials such as sheet metal by utilizing opposed primary and secondary forming tool assemblies and a sheet feeding assembly. The primary forming tool assembly includes a rigid tool and the secondary forming tool assembly includes a compressible and resilient backing layer having either a cylindrical or flat configuration. The sheet feeding assembly positions the sheet material between the two forming tools. The rigid tool applies force to one surface of the sheet material while the resilient backing tool applies counter force to the opposite surface of the work piece as it supports the work piece. This dual sided process localizes the forces on the sheet material so that stresses are advantageously controlled to produce accurately formed asymmetric shapes, without the need for expensive dies. The use of a rigid tool with an opposed resilient backing tool both having linear independent motion also avoids potential wrinkling and tearing of the resulting work piece and enables the formation of numerous, highly detained asymmetric products.

Presented are metalworking systems for forming metallic workpieces, methods for making/operating such metalworking systems, and battery module cell tabs bent by a multistage cluster-and-bend press. A metalworking system includes a grouping tool and a contouring tool that both align adjacent a workpiece support structure, such as a base plate of a battery module housing buttressing a stack of battery pouch cells. The grouping tool, which may include a first reciprocating plunger or plunger head, presses together a stack of metallic workpieces to thereby form a workpiece set having a first bend profile and a first length. The contouring tool, which may include a second reciprocating plunger or a pair of plunger fingers mounted on the plunger head, is attached to the grouping tool and bends the workpiece set to a second bend profile, distinct from the first bend profile, and a second set length, shorter than the first set length.

An incremental forming tool of the present invention includes a holding portion attached to an incremental forming apparatus and a free curved surface part for pressing a metal plate. The free curved surface part is made of at least a hard metal base material and a surface of the free curved surface part is covered with a hard film. The surface of the hard film has an Rpk of 0.15 μm or less, the Rpk is defined by JIS B 0671 and is calculated from a material ratio curve of a roughness curve, and has an Ra of 0.2 μm or less, the Ra is defined by JIS B 0601 and is calculated from a roughness curve. Therefore, a molded product having a smooth worked surface with no roughness can be produced without adding any extra equipment for preventing adhesion.

A method and a system are disclosed for making an article of manufacture from a blank defining an internal opening. A stack of blanks are aligned and the internal openings of the blanks in the stack of blanks are machined by a rotary cutting tool to a finished dimension. The blanks are clamped together before machining in a numerically controlled machine tool. The blanks are subsequently formed individually in a sheet metal forming operation in which the inner perimeter of the internal openings is expanded as the blank is formed.

The present invention is directed to a dual sided incremental sheet forming apparatus and method for incrementally forming sheet materials such as sheet metal by utilizing opposed primary and secondary forming tool assemblies and a sheet feeding assembly. The primary forming tool assembly includes a rigid tool and the secondary forming tool assembly includes a compressible and resilient backing layer having either a cylindrical or flat configuration. The sheet feeding assembly positions the sheet material between the two forming tools. The rigid tool applies force to one surface of the sheet material while the resilient backing tool applies counter force to the opposite surface of the work piece as it supports the work piece. This dual sided process localizes the forces on the sheet material so that stresses are advantageously controlled to produce accurately formed asymmetric shapes, without the need for expensive dies. The use of a rigid tool with an opposed resilient backing tool both having linear independent motion also avoids potential wrinkling and tearing of the resulting work piece and enables the formation of numerous, highly detained asymmetric products.

To provide a drawing-out tool for sheet metal which is less in failure and excellent in the durability and has excellent handling property by evading generation of trouble in an electric system by shielding dust, metal dust, soil dust or the like from mingling in or attaching to the electric system. The drawing-out tool for sheet metal comprises a center shaft (22); a first operation means (20) provided with a bit (25) arranged to an apex part of the center shaft; a second operation means (30) for pulling-up the first operation means; and an energization mechanism (100) for supplying electric current to the bit are provided. The housing (10) for accommodating the illumination unit (70) and the illumination unit for illuminating a sheet metal surface accommodated in the housing are included.

Systems and methods for forming a workpiece are disclosed. The system may include a fixture assembly for receiving a workpiece having opposing first and second surfaces, first and second tools, and a vibration source configured to vibrate the first and/or second tool. The first and second tools may be configured to move along first and second predetermined paths of motion as the first and/or second tool is vibrated by the vibration source and may exert force on the first and second surfaces to form the workpiece. The method may include vibrating a tool using a vibration source and moving the vibrating tool and another tool along first and second forming paths to form the workpiece. The vibration source may be an ultrasonic transducer and may vibrate the tool at a frequency of at least 1 kHz.

An apparatus for forming a metal workpiece having a first surface is described herein. The apparatus includes a trough containing a liquid. The apparatus also includes a support for positioning the metal workpiece in an impact-receiving position. In the impact-receiving position, the first surface is submerged in the liquid. The apparatus includes a driven member for applying multiple impacts to the first surface of the metal workpiece while the metal workpiece is in the impact-receiving position.