Electrical-assisted double side incremental forming and processes thereof

A process for die-less forming a piece of sheet metal while passing an electrical direct current through the piece of sheet metal, the process comprising:

• providing a piece of sheet metal to be formed;
• providing a computer numerical controlled machine, the machine having a pair of oppositely disposed arcuate tipped tools and being operable to move at least one of the arcuate tipped tools a plurality of predetermined distances in a plurality of predetermined directions and produce a plurality of double side incremental deformations to the piece of sheet metal;
• providing a support structure having a clamping structure, the clamping structure operable to rigidly hold an outer perimeter of the piece of sheet metal and leave a portion of the sheet metal unsupported;
• attaching the piece of sheet metal to the support structure using the clamping structure;
• providing an electric current source operable to pass electrical direct current through the arcuate tipped tool to piece of sheet metal;
• forming the sheet metal component with the plurality of double side incremental deformations using at least one of the arcuate tipped tools moving in the plurality of predetermined distances in the plurality if predetermined directions;
• and
• passing the electrical direct current through at least one of the arcuate tipped tools to the piece of metal during at least part of the time or after the piece of sheet metal is being formed.