Laser Surface Texturing in Single-Point Incremental Sheet Forming

Abstract Single-point incremental sheet forming (SPIF) offers high flexibility, cost-effectiveness, mass customization, ease of setup, and scalability. However, the process can result in poor surface characteristics, making it important to control them, especially for applications requiring enhanced wettability. To overcome this challenge, the present study introduces a novel technique that uses laser surface texturing (LST) to create micropatterns on the SPIF forming tool and replicate on the planar surface of workpiece. After SPIF process on the opposite side of the workpiece, the replicated micropatterns are maintained without significant effect to the laser textures and keep the surface's wettability. The 3D surface topography of the imprinted micropatterns was characterized. Additionally, a sessile drop test was performed to assess the wettability of the surface both before and after the deformation process. The results showed that a functionalized micropatterned surface can be achieved using the proposed technique without affecting the geometric accuracy. No cracks were observed on the workpiece surface, but during the SPIF process, deformation stretched the imprinted microvalleys, leading to a slight decrease in hydrophobicity compared to the original LST surface.