Fraunhofer Institute for Machine Tools and Forming TechnologyWhat is the challenge?
Industrial sheet metal part production for your prototypes and small quantities is uneconomical due to the high costs of forming tools? Then the solution for your applications is to use a process that does not require expensive tools. With incremental sheet metal forming, we offer you just such an alternative for the economical production of sheet metal components in small and very small quantities.
What solution do we have for you?
Incremental sheet metal forming is a forming process for the production of complex components in small quantities. As the name "incremental" already suggests, several, successive movements of a CNC-controlled forming tool create the final shape. Compared to conventional drawing processes, complex tools can be dispensed with. This reduces tooling costs and the time to the first finished part. These advantages predestine incremental sheet metal forming for quantities in the range of 1 to 1.000 parts. With the process variants used at the Fraunhofer IWU, significantly higher forming degrees can also be achieved than with conventional processes.
What is now available in concrete terms?
We offer you various options for incremental sheet metal part production depending on your needs and fields of application. The component dimensions of 3 m x 4 m that can be formed at the Fraunhofer IWU are unique worldwide with a maximum sheet thickness of 5 mm in aluminium and 2.5 mm in steel. CAD/CAM-based component analysis, the process design, and the use of different forming tools ensure the even reliable production of challenging geometries.
