Analysis of single-point warm incremental forming for glass fiber-reinforced polyamide 6 sheets: experimentation and simulation

The single-point warm incremental forming (SPWIF) methodology significantly enhances the formability of composite materials, enabling precise and efficient shaping of complex geometries. This research investigates the impact of several design parameters such as fiber weight fraction (0%, 20%, 30% by weight), process temperature (80°C, 120°C, 180°C), step size (0.25 mm, 0.50 mm, 0.75 mm), and fiber orientation (0°, 22.5°, 45°) on the formability of glass fiber-reinforced polyamide six sheets. Employing the Taguchi design of experiments methodology, a systematic study was undertaken. The sample with a 20% fiber weight fraction, 80°C process temperature, 0.50 mm step size, and 0° fiber orientation showed the greatest forming depth at 5.5 mm. Additionally, the study highlighted the predominant influence of fiber weight fraction on forming depth, attributing a significant contribution percentage of 58.75% to forming depth. Moreover, a numerical analysis, encompassing the homogenization of the composite sheet and simulation of the SPWIF process, was conducted. The findings revealed a consistent trend for both experimental and numerical results. For depth analysis, the thickness distribution was simulated, aligning with the observed experimental trends. This demonstrates the reliability of the numerical results. This research not only provides a detailed analysis of the SPWIF process in shaping composite sheets but also serves as a valuable resource for scholars engaging in numerical analyses within this domain.