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About

Hans Vanhove is a leading researcher in the field of advanced sheet metal forming, with a primary focus on **single point incremental forming (SPIF)** and its sustainable applications. His work is distinguished by a dual commitment to process innovation and environmental accountability. Vanhove’s major contributions include the first comprehensive analysis of **electric energy consumption in SPIF** (45 citations), a foundational study that quantified the environmental impact of this flexible forming method. He has also pioneered strategies for **robot-supported SPIF**, establishing obtainable accuracies and compensation techniques that enable the use of industrial robots for die-less sheet metal shaping—a critical advancement for rapid prototyping. In the realm of material science, Vanhove investigated **formability enhancement** through laser-assisted incremental forming, developing guidelines to optimize process parameters for automotive aluminum alloys. His research on the **energy consumption of robot-based SPIF** further underscores his commitment to sustainable manufacturing, providing a thorough analysis of environmental impacts in discrete part production. Through these contributions, Vanhove has positioned himself at the intersection of flexible manufacturing and green engineering, offering practical solutions for small series production and prototyping.