Ford Global Technolgoies, LLC

Vijitha Seraka Kiridena

Daniel Edward Wilkosz

S George Luckey, Jr

Andrey M Ilinich

Alan John Gillard

Systems and methods for forming a workpiece are disclosed. The system may include a fixture assembly for receiving a workpiece having opposing first and second surfaces, first and second tools, and a vibration source configured to vibrate the first and/or second tool. The first and second tools may be configured to move along first and second predetermined paths of motion as the first and/or second tool is vibrated by the vibration source and may exert force on the first and second surfaces to form the workpiece. The method may include vibrating a tool using a vibration source and moving the vibrating tool and another tool along first and second forming paths to form the workpiece. The vibration source may be an ultrasonic transducer and may vibrate the tool at a frequency of at least 1 kHz.

Vibration assisted free form fabrication

A method of incrementally forming workpiece is provided by the present disclosure. In one form, the method includes securing a sacrificial material layer to at least one surface of the workpiece, imparting a force directly to the sacrificial material layer with at least one forming tool, and incrementally forming the workpiece to a desired geometry based on a tool path of the forming tool.

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Ann Arbor, MI, United States of America

Vijitha Seraka Kiridena