Mechanics & Equipment for sheetmetal forming using reconfigurable tooling

• The mechanism of forming is similar to that of conventional dies since the ends of discrete elements are usually smoothened
• Conventional sheet metal press is used and main difference is in toolings
• As for conventional sheet metal forming, only one tool is required for operations such as stretch forming. The use of reconfigurable punch and die have also been investigated by researchers [16, 17] as illustrated in figure 3
• There is a similarity in the technology of reconfigurable tool proposed by various researchers. Differences arise in the method of positioning and clamping the discrete elements and the method of smoothening the discontinuous surface of the tool
• Contributions have been made by Nakajima [18]  Pinson [19], Walczyk and Hardt [16],  Papazian [20]    (figure 4) and owodunni et al [17]