CAx-chain in robot-based incremental sheet metal forming

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Due to increasing market demands for customized small-scale production and prototyping, Roboforming (robot-based incremental forming) has been developed for quick, precise, and dieless sheet metal forming. In this process, two KUKA robots hold forming and supporting tools with a universal ball-sized structure. The sheet is clamped in a fixture frame, and both robots are synchronized via a robot controller. The final shape of the workpiece is generated by the movement of the forming tool laterally and its gradual infeed depth-wise. The movable supporting tool enhances process accuracy and flexibility by eliminating the need for structure-specific dies. This work aims to develop a CAx-chain in Roboforming, encompassing CAM and CAE for tool path generation and process simulation. Unlike traditional forming processes, Roboforming replaces dies with a universal forming tool and a long trajectory, shifting focus from die production to effective tool path generation in Asymmetric Incremental Forming (AISF). A specialized CAM system is crucial for accommodating various forming strategies. While using a robot system with synchronized tools reduces investment costs and increases flexibility, it complicates path generation due to the lack of mature CAM solutions. The developed CAM solution can export files for the robot control system and support different forming strategies. Following the CAM process, a CAE model is created for robot