A control strategy for incremental profile forming. (July 2022) - Nakahata, Ryo
Abstract: Incremental profile forming (IPF) allows the flexible manufacture of metallic tubular structures with cross-sectional profiles that vary along their length, but its geometric accuracy is limited currently by exclusive reliance upon machine control of the process. Procedures for on-line sensing of process attributes and post-process sensing of part geometry, using laser triangulation sensors, are developed. Improved understanding of process characteristics for elementary IPF operations, obtained from FEM analysis and experiments, is described. Issues in developing a control-oriented process model are discussed along with prior related work. An overall control strategy for improving part geometry in IPF is formulated, indicating directions for needed research in process design, control-oriented modelling, sensing improvements, and control.