Research of polycarbonate sheet processing based on multi-point forming

Although multi-point forming (MPF) is an advanced processing technique and has been investigated comprehensively as a metal working operation, there are few papers published to deal with MPF of polymers. The present paper reviews the features of MPF and evaluates the possibility of producing polymer components by means of MPF. The experimental research work makes use of PC sheets with a thickness of 3.82 mm. Numerical simulations were performed with the software ABAQUS, then spherical and saddle-shaped components were manufactured by MPF. The geometrical deviations between shaped components and their original CAD/CAM models were obtained to investigate the forming accuracy. The results confirm that MPF of PC sheet has potential for the manufacture of complex components.