Distortion Reduction in Incremental Beading

Beads are typical offset features used in sheet metal parts for increased out-of-plane bending stiffness. Incrementally forming beads using common tools presents a new paradigm for manufacturing versatility and geometrical flexibility in part design while bringing significant cost benefits for low volume applications in automotive and other industries. However, the production applications of incremental beading can be limited due to beading induced distortion and subsequent dimensional quality concerns. In this study, distortion reduction solutions are sought after based on a combined approach of virtual simulations and physical testing. Numerical models, through Finite Element Analysis, are developed to virtually describe the incremental beading process and predict the resultant distortion with the goal of improving model accuracy and reducing computational cost. The developed FEM models are validated against experimental data to serve as the basis for future virtual process optimization. Experimental approaches to effectively reduce distortion are identified during model validations. Effects of process variables are discussed.