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This paper analyses the differences between incipient and repeatable material flow in the incremental sheet-bulk metal forming (SBMF) of gears produced by indentation along the direction perpendicular to the sheet thickness. The underfilling of the punch cavity during the first indentation, which prevents the production of sound disk gears, is explained on the basis of constrained material flow under material strain hardening. A solution based on the utilization of a tailored disk blank is proposed to overcome this defect. The geometry of the tailored disk blank is determined by means of finite element analysis, and the overall methodology involved material characterization and experimentation with DC04 mild steel. The discussion on the extent of the plastic deformation region under constrained and free-material flow during indentation is complemented by experimental results obtained with a flat punch in rectangular sheet blanks of aluminium EN AW-1050A.

The aim and objectives of this article are to provide an analytical model for the incremental forming of gears along the direction perpendicular to the sheet thickness. The model allows determining the influence of the major process parameters in the indentation force and in the material volume undergoing plastic deformation during indentation by means of double-wedge gear tooth punches. Special emphasis is placed on the influence of superimposing tension stresses along the in-plane direction. The analytical model is built upon the slip-line theory under plane strain deformation conditions, and results are compared against those obtained from experiments in DC04 mild steel and from numerical simulations performed with the finite element method. Results show that the indentation force can be significantly reduced by stress superposition, and that a minimum distance from previous indentations is necessary to produce a new gear tooth in a material free from residual strains and stresses.

Sheet-bulk metal forming is a process used to manufacture load-adapted parts with high precision. However, bulk forming of sheet metals requires high forces, and thus tools applied for the operational demand have to withstand very high contact pressures, which lead to high wear and abrasion. The usage of conventional techniques like hardening and coating in order to reinforce the surface resistance are not sufficient enough in this case. In this paper, the tool resistance is improved by applying filigree bionic structures, especially structures adapted from the Scarabaeus beetle to the tool’s surface. The structures are realized by micromilling. Despite the high hardness of the tool material, very precise patterns are machined successfully using commercially available ball-end milling cutters. The nature-adapted surface patterns are combined with techniques like plasma nitriding and PVD coating, leading to a multilayer coating system. The effect of process parameters on the resistance of the tools is analyzed experimentally and compared to a conventional, unstructured, uncoated, only plasma nitrided forming tool. Therefore, the tools are used for an incremental bulk forming process on 2 mm thick metal sheets made of aluminum. The results show that the developed methodology is feasible to reduce the process forces and to improve the durability of the tools.