Experimental Investigation of effect of warm single point incremental forming parameters on the formability of 6061 and 5083 aluminum tailor welded blanks

Single point incremental forming (SPIF) is a cost-effective process with high flexibility and as a result, it is a suitable choice for low-batch production compared to traditional metal forming methods. In the present experimental research, the warm SPIF with ball nose tool was used in the forming of aluminum tailor welded blanks (TWB) that were joined together by the argon welding process. Aluminum sheets of 6061 and 5083 with an equal thickness of 1.5 mm were used as base metals and joined together using the butt welding method. In this research, the effect of four parameters of temperature, lubricant, step down, and feedrate were investigated on the formability and appearance of aluminum. The temperature range is between room temperature and 290 degrees Celsius, and three types of lubricants are used in the experimental tests. The Taguchi method was used for the design of the experiment. The results of the tests indicated that an increase in the temperature as the most effective parameter led to an increase in the formability of TWB by 79%. The lubrication, step down, and the feedrate was in the next ranks of effectiveness in the formability of aluminum TWB.