Numerical study of side fixture and feed rate method for decrease of force imposed by spindle of machine on the incremental forming groove test

In this study, conventional methods of the groove test on an incremental forming process by finite element method have been investigated in order to analyze the forces imposed by the spindle of CNC machine. Initially, the finite element method analysis using ABAQUS software was validated by empirical research in the published paper. In this analysis, tool and clamping are supposed rigid body and the sheet is deformable body. When using the side fixture for constraining of side edge of sheet was investigated, it was found that the use of the side fixture increase force between 2 to 2.5 times. However the number of tool sweeps would be halved and groove test would be completed with 1 tool sweep. Also by smoothly graded loading for prevention of traumatic force peaks to the machine, this test can be done at a lower cost. For example, for AA7075-0 sheet with 80mm forming path between two different steps 0.25 with 2 sweeps and 0.5mm with 1 sweep, using lower slope and 2 tool sweeps, the maximum vertical force peaks decrease and process is very proper for low load capacity CNC machine.