Abstract: An incremental forming tool of a sheet material has a tool holder having an axis and at least one tool rod mounted in the tool holder. The at least one tool rod may have variable shapes, lengths, diameters and radii such that the rotation of the at least one tool rod about the axis of the tool holder on the sheet material simulates an up and down, in and out, and/or side-to-side vibration motion.

Abstract: A process for forming a sheet metal component. The process includes rigidly clamping a piece of sheet metal to a clamping fixture and plastically deforming the sheet metal to produce a shaped component during a first manufacturing step. The shaped component has a first amount of springback. During a second manufacturing step, a pair of electrodes applies one or more pulses of electrical current at one or more locations on the shaped component while the shaped component is still rigidly clamped to the clamping fixture during. The one or more pulses of electrical current applied to the shaped component provide an electrically-assisted manufactured (EAM) shaped component. The EAM shaped component has a second amount of springback that is less than the first amount of springback.

Abstract: An incremental forming tool of a sheet material has a tool holder having an axis and at least one tool rod mounted in the tool holder. The at least one tool rod may have variable shapes, lengths, diameters and radii such that the rotation of the at least one tool rod about the axis of the tool holder on the sheet material simulates an up and down, in and out, and/or side-to-side vibration motion.

Abstract: A process for forming a sheet metal component. The process includes rigidly clamping a piece of sheet metal to a clamping fixture and plastically deforming the sheet metal to produce a shaped component during a first manufacturing step. The shaped component has a first amount of springback. During a second manufacturing step, a pair of electrodes applies one or more pulses of electrical current at one or more locations on the shaped component while the shaped component is still rigidly clamped to the clamping fixture during. The one or more pulses of electrical current applied to the shaped component provide an electrically-assisted manufactured (EAM) shaped component. The EAM shaped component has a second amount of springback that is less than the first amount of springback.

Abstract: A light transmission based liquid crystal temperature sensor system comprising a layer of thermochromic liquid crystals and a light source for transmitting an amount of light through the layer of thermochromic liquid crystals. A temperature control device records and measures at least one of the amount and spectral characteristics of the light transmitted through the layer of thermochromic liquid crystals. A processing device converts the measured amount or spectral characteristics of the transmitted light to temperature.