Incremental Vessels
Syazwan Bin Mohamed Hanif
This project explores the forming possibilities using an Incremental Sheet Forming (ISF) process to create a closed volume composed of two irregular surfaces, joined along a common outline that forms its edge, sealed by brazing.
This free-form process is highly flexible in responding to constraints established during prototyping as it does not require the costly and time-consuming process associated with producing a die and punch pair that would have been unique and inflexible to each form. Instead, a multitude of forms are possible with ISF as it requires only a suitable workpiece holding of the size required. The free-form surface geometries have been informed by the constraints inherent in the material type and the ISF process itself, including parameters for step-over distance, tool diameter, tool rpm and feed speed for a given material thickness.
The upper and lower bounding surfaces are composed of 0.8mm thick mild steel sheet, and the ISF process was implemented on a three-axis milling machine with standard industrial extruded aluminium sections providing the workpiece holding. This achieved ISF depths of (200 to 250) mm within an inside frame size of 950x450mm.
