The tool, which can be attached to a CNC machine, a robot arm or similar, indents into the sheet by about 1 mm and follows a contour for the desired part.
ISF can be divided into variants depending on the number of contact points between tool, sheet and die (in case there is any).
Several authors recognize that the formability of metal materials under the localized deformation imposed by incremental forming is better than in conventional deep drawing.
Spherical, flat-bottomed, and parabolic tool profiles can be used to achieve differing surface finishes and forming limits.
[4] The machine employs a combination of stretch forming by drawing the sheet incrementally down over a die, with the CNC tool approach described above.