Forming-tool design innovation and intelligent tool-structure/system concepts

During the last two-decades significant efforts have been made to develop new forming-tools. Innovation in tool-structure designs has been a driving force to the development. Based on a review on tool-designs reported recently, innovative tool-structures/systems are classified, strategies and approaches for tool-design innovation are discussed, which is followed by introducing a new forming-tool concept. Finally, some issues on further development are outlined.