Flexible Tools in Micro Deep Drawing

The increasing demand on high quality and competitive portable electronics and other mini/micro devices results in huge development in producing micro components required for such industrial applications through the last decade. This demand has remarkably attracted a great attention from researchers and manufacturers. Micro-forming is a robust technology for producing metallic parts at micro-scale with high standard of precision. However, the risky issue of very small clearance required between the rigid tools substantiates the necessity for alternative techniques such that use flexible forming tools. Several significant potential advantages can be attained with using flexible tools in sheet metal forming processes such as low-production cost, eliminating alignment difficulties, producing complex-shaped parts. The workpieces taken from pre-polished or painted sheet metals can be formed without using any protective coating. These issues make flexible forming technology very appropriate for micro sheet metal forming.