This award is to research and develop flexible forming of sheet metal with the aid of a programmable die, in conjunction with closed loop control of the forming process. In concept this implies a sheet metal forming process driven only by the geometric data, as defined by a Computer Aided Design (CAD) system, that can also adapt to part shape changes and material and forming condition uncertainties. This work will focus on two major issues. They are (1) fundamental exploration of discrete tool forming mechanics and a concomitant machine design to identify and achieve maximum forming fidelity, process accuracy and speed, and (2) refinement of the deformation transfer function concept for general three-dimensional complex sheet metal parts using numerical simulation and experiments. The final outcome of this research is the elimination of long set-up and tooling developing times currently associated with the sheet metal forming process. This will not only reduce time and costs associated with this process but also allow the economical processing of small lot production of complex sheet metal parts. The sheet metal forming process is a major component in the manufacturing of many durable goods and the results of this research will enhance the efficiency of that sector of industry.
