The Use of Fused Deposition Modelled Tooling in Low Volume Production of Stretch Formed Double Curvature Components

Stretch forming is commonly used for low volume production of double curvature panels; primarily in the architectural cladding and aerospace sectors. The lower volume production requires a low cost tooling solution that minimizes the non-recurrent cost. Tools are currently manufactured from a range of different materials including cast iron, plastic and wood, utilizing a range of production and finishing processes. More recently the use of additive manufacturing technologies implemented in low cost 3D printing devices provides a compelling alternative that offers a fast and cost-effective tool fabrication methodology. This paper illustrates the use of desktop 3D printing technology in the production of a large tool through assembly of smaller printed hollow sections. The low cost and production time for the additive manufacturing tool solution is noted. In addition, two profiles illustrate the viability of FDM tools for an anticlastic component. The forming process is modelled in PAMSTAMP and comparisons made between the springback and surface strains in the experimental trials. It is interesting to note that the anticlastic tooling solution has significantly lower springback due to the interaction of the longitudinal and transverse residual stresses.