Impulse Metal Form Technology

Traditionally the methods we use to form sheet metal involve the careful control of displacements and static forces using large presses. Here we present an alternate mode of metal forming where impulse and high velocity are used to form sheet metal.

• Impulse-based metal forming is actually quite easy to carry out. In particular, electromagnetic forming is carried out by driving a large pulsed current through a conductive coil in close proximity to a metal workpiece. This can easily drive the workpiece at velocities over 100 m/s.

• Formability can be dramatically improved in electromagnetic forming. This requires high velocity and is the improvements are due to both inertial and constitutive effects.

• There are many opportunities in developing new approaches using electromagnetic forming for sheet metal forming. Example: springback can be easily controlled by imposing modest local plastic deformation in a metallic formed sheet.

• The impact that takes place in electromagnetic forming can be used for decorative embossing. This produces features like those form coining and even micro-features like diffraction gratings. This is amiable to much larger areas, at much lower equipment costs.

• Lastly, tooling and systems can be very lightweight and configured quickly.

Impulse Metal Forming Technology