Abstract: According to one or more embodiments, methods and systems for performing operations on a workpiece may be provided. An exemplary method may include holding the workpiece in a feeding fixture so that the workpiece is movable in one degree of freedom. The method may further include feeding the workpiece along the workpiece's length into an operations center and measuring the position of the workpiece in a length direction. A time sequence of processing vectors on the workpiece that are defined in a workpiece coordinate system may be transformed into a calculated time sequence of processing vectors in a machine coordinate system. Using a machine control system a processing end effector may be moved through the calculated time sequence of processing vectors in the machine coordinate system and one or more operations may be performed on the workpiece.

Abstract: According to at least one embodiment a method for joggling elongate parts curved may include clamping a first vise across a first cross-section of a workpiece immediately outside a first end of a joggle segment of the workpiece and clamping a second vise across a second cross-section immediately outside the second end of the joggle segment. The method may further include actuating relative motion of the vises with respect to each other in a joggling direction to achieve a controlled distance of motion corresponding to a predetermined joggle depth and unloading the vises to obtain a joggled part.

Abstract: A flexible but strong universal die is disclosed, that is flexible enough to be elastically deflected into different curvatures by actuating forces and moments, while being strong enough to support the die forces and moments that it has to apply to parts to form them to the shape corresponding to its shape. A design of the die and actuation locations that makes it easy to deflect it into different constant curvatures, as well as into shapes with gradients of curvature along the length of the die, and the use of these dies for stretch roll forming are disclosed.

Abstract: A method of forming includes applying a stretching force along a linear axis of a work piece and forming the work piece while the stretching force is applied.