Thermal and tool path effects on forming force and surface integrity in heat-assisted single point incremental forming of AA1050 aluminum alloy

This study presents a comprehensive experimental investigation into the effects of controlled thermal conditions and tool path strategies on forming force and surface roughness in Heat-Assisted Single Point Incremental Forming (HA-SPIF) of AA1050 aluminum alloy sheets. A resistive heating system was integrated to maintain uniform temperature across the workpiece, and heating times were modeled for precision control. Three distinct tool path strategies—Contour Broken, Contour Ramp, and Contour Helix—were analyzed under six temperature levels ranging from 25 °C to 250 °C. The results demonstrate that elevated temperatures significantly reduce both maximum and average forming forces, with a maximum reduction of 35.36% observed at 250 °C. Surface quality improved notably with moderate heating, and the Contour Helix path yielded the lowest roughness ( Ra = 0.263 μm at 150 °C), representing a 72.20% reduction compared to room temperature. However, excessive heating above 150 °C slightly increased roughness due to material softening and adhesion effects. Among the tool paths, Contour Helix consistently provided the most uniform deformation and stable force profile, contributing to enhanced surface integrity and reduced tool wear. The findings highlight the synergistic role of thermal management and path design in optimizing formability, energy efficiency, and product quality in HA-SPIF, particularly for high-precision applications in aerospace, biomedical, and custom manufacturing domains.