Innovative sheet forming processes: evaluation of the economic convenience of an actual case

In these last few years, the need for sheet parts in low volume batches, has required the development of new production technologies for sheet forming characterized by high flexibility (like the flexible forming process, the sheet die-less forming process or the sheet fluid forming process). These technologies allow new concept products to be used in terms of shape, materials and production volumes. Since these innovative sheet production processes are not widely diffused, there is a lack of knowledge when evaluating their economic convenience even if many factories are developing and introducing economic models. The objective of the present paper is to propose a model able to identify the most convenient technical solution comparing the innovative sheet forming processes with the traditional ones (the economic convenience of hydroforming and sheet incremental forming processes will be compared with the traditional forging, deep drawing and welding production techniques).