Abstract: A method of toolpath generation is provided whereby the tool may be any smooth convex axisymmetric shape. The tool includes a tool body extending between a shank and a head. The shank is configured to be mounted in a collet which may optionally rotate. In the case of a stylus tool, the head has an axisymmetric forming surface used to press metal. In the case of a routing tool, the head has cutting surfaces which are enveloped by a smooth convex axisymmetric surface and the tool is used for milling a part. In a least one embodiment the tool is a stylus tool which has a forming surface that has been generated from a portion of a clothoid curve.

Abstract: A modified differential evolution process including a reseed operation is performed to estimate a plurality of Euler angles indicating orientations of a specified quantity of crystals approximating the crystallographic texture extracted from the material test data, the reseed operation comprising retaining a data point at a first place of a first population of data points, and replacing all other data points of the first population of data points prior to continued iterations, wherein the first population of data points is a collection of a plurality of all data points and each data point comprises the specified quantity of Euler angles, and the data point at the first place of the first population of data points is the data point within the first population of data points that best fits the material test data.

Abstract: A modified differential evolution process including a reseed operation is performed to estimate a plurality of Euler angles indicating orientations of a specified quantity of crystals approximating the crystallographic texture extracted from the material test data, the reseed operation comprising retaining a data point at a first place of a first population of data points, and replacing all other data points of the first population of data points prior to continued iterations, wherein the first population of data points is a collection of a plurality of all data points and each data point comprises the specified quantity of Euler angles, and the data point at the first place of the first population of data points is the data point within the first population of data points that best fits the material test data.

Abstract: An incremental sheet forming system and method are configured to form a structure through an incremental sheet forming process. The incremental sheet forming system and method include a forming control unit that compensates for spring back of a structure to be formed through the incremental sheet forming process.

Abstract: A slope-matched stylus (SMS) tool for Incremental Sheet Forming (ISF) of a sheet includes a shaft connected to a stylus body and to a multi-axis drive mechanism. The stylus body has a conical or generally frustoconical form which includes a tool surface defining one or more corresponding tool wall angles. The tool wall angle range matches one or more part wall angles of a part formed via the ISF process, such that a flat line of contact exists between the stylus body and sheet. The tool and part wall angles are complementary. A system includes the tool and drive mechanism. A method includes securing the sheet to a fixture, connecting the tool to the drive mechanism, and progressively pressing a tool surface of the stylus body into or against the sheet using the drive mechanism, controlling the latter to ensure a flat line of contact is provided between the stylus body and sheet.

Abstract: A method of aligning scans of a workpiece is disclosed, including coupling a set of reflective boundary targets along an edge of a workpiece having first and second opposing facial surfaces. The boundary targets are detectable by a surface scanning device when scanning the first facial surface and when scanning the second facial surface of the workpiece. The method further includes scanning the first facial surface of the workpiece, generating a first data set and scanning the second facial surface of the workpiece, generating a second data set. The first and second data sets each include spatial points corresponding to locations of the reflective boundary targets. The method further includes aligning the spatial points of the first data set with the spatial points of the second data set.

Abstract: A method of toolpath generation is provided whereby the tool may be any smooth convex axisymmetric shape. The tool includes a tool body extending between a shank and a head. The shank is configured to be mounted in a collet which may optionally rotate. In the case of a stylus tool, the head has an axisymmetric forming surface used to press metal. In the case of a routing tool, the head has cutting surfaces which are enveloped by a smooth convex axisymmetric surface and the tool is used for milling a part. In a least one embodiment the tool is a stylus tool which has a forming surface that has been generated from a portion of a clothoid curve.

Abstract: An incremental sheet forming system and method are configured to form a structure through an incremental sheet forming process. The incremental sheet forming system and method include a forming control unit that compensates for spring back of a structure to be formed through the incremental sheet forming process.

Abstract: A method of aligning scans of a workpiece is disclosed, including coupling a set of reflective boundary targets along an edge of a workpiece having first and second opposing facial surfaces. The boundary targets are detectable by a surface scanning device when scanning the first facial surface and when scanning the second facial surface of the workpiece. The method further includes scanning the first facial surface of the workpiece, generating a first data set and scanning the second facial surface of the workpiece, generating a second data set. The first and second data sets each include spatial points corresponding to locations of the reflective boundary targets. The method further includes aligning the spatial points of the first data set with the spatial points of the second data set.

Abstract: Yield criteria of a material are estimated by obtaining test data representing anisotropic material properties of the material and performing an iterative evolutionary search to identify parameters of a function descriptive of the yield criteria of the material. The evolutionary search includes determining an error value based on a first data point of a first population, where the first data point representing potential values of the parameters. The evolutionary search also includes performing an evolutionary process to generate a second data point as a candidate for replacing the first data point in a second population and determining a second error value based on the second data point. Either the first data point or the second data point is selected for inclusion in the second population. Output data is generated based on estimated values of the parameters that are identified by the evolutionary search.

Abstract: Yield criteria of a material are estimated by obtaining test data representing anisotropic material properties of the material and performing an iterative evolutionary search to identify parameters of a function descriptive of the yield criteria of the material. The evolutionary search includes determining an error value based on a first data point of a first population, where the first data point representing potential values of the parameters. The evolutionary search also includes performing an evolutionary process to generate a second data point as a candidate for replacing the first data point in a second population and determining a second error value based on the second data point. Either the first data point or the second data point is selected for inclusion in the second population. Output data is generated based on estimated values of the parameters that are identified by the evolutionary search.