Virtual programming of formed component trajectories

A method for forming a component comprising:

• providing a forming surface;
• using a computer aided design (CAD) or a computer aided engineering (CAE) computcr program to extend tangents from said forming surface at various positions through a forming cycle, said tangents correspond to the location of one or more grippers during a forming process;
• calculating wrap angle, tension, elevation, tilt, and twist of each of said one or more grippers at each of said tangents;
• recording the wrap angle, tension, elevation, tilt and twist of each of said one or more grippers at said tangent locations into a first computer file;
• recording initial one or more gripper positions, amount of pre- and post-stretch imparted on a blank, and initial blank size into said first computer file;
• and
• inputting said first computer file into a first computer program to calculate appropriate location, speed, controller commands, and trajectory for said one or more grippers during said foming process, said first computer program produces an output that is then recorded in a second computer file that is read and executed by said forming equipment thereby producing said formed component with a desired part geometry.