A metal stamping die is a tool used to cut and shape a metal sheet once a press applies pressure. But when you take a closer look into what a die consists of and how it operates, it&#;s easy to get a bit tangled up in the weeds. We&#;re here to help you sort it all out.
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Here&#;s a foolproof guide to some of the most essential die components and their functions.
This is by no means an exhaustive list of every part that could be placed in a die. It&#;s just a starting point to learn more about dies and how they function. If you have questions about a die component not mentioned in this article, please don&#;t hesitate to reach out to our team.
Also known as die shoes and die sets, die plates serve as the foundation for where other die tools and components are mounted. They hold many of the other components on this list (punches, buttons, springs, etc.) in place.
Die plates are typically made from steel, but aluminum is a feasible option as well. It&#;s lightweight and can be combined with alloys for added strength.
Die guide pins work in conjunction with guide bushings to align the upper and lower die plates with accuracy. They are manufactured to tolerances within .&#; (also known as a &#;tenth&#;) to ensure precise positioning.
There are two main types of die guide pins: friction pins and ball-bearing pins.
There isn&#;t necessarily a &#;best&#; choice between these two types of guide pins. It just depends on what fits best within your die and what your goal is for your end product. Ball bearing pins are easier to separate die halves and have become industry standard because of their ease of use. Standard die pins still have their use in providing accurate guidance but are more difficult to separate from their guide bushing.
Die punches are the tools that actually press into the metal sheet and transform it. They&#;re fixed within the die retainer (more on that later). They can either bend or punch a hole through the metal, depending on their nose shape. Nose shapes can be round, oblong, square, rectangle, hex, flatted-round, or customized.
Aside from nose shape, die punches are also available in a number of shank diameters and lengths. You can check out our Inch and Metric catalogs for full details.
Die buttons are die punches&#; counterparts. They provide the opposite cutting edge in which die punches are inserted. To mirror the die punches, die buttons are also available in a number of styles, shapes, and tolerances. However, they generally offset larger than the punch nose by 5-10% of the pierced material thickness. This is referred to as the &#;die break,&#; which allows space between the punch and the button so that cutting can take place and a hole can be created.
Die springs are helical, high-force compression springs. They provide the amount of force needed to hold metal sheets in place while they&#;re being transformed by the die.
There are many types of die springs, but the two most common are mechanical and nitrogen gas die springs.
Check out this article to determine whether mechanical or nitrogen gas die springs are right for your application.
Die retainers are placed on die plates to hold cutting and forming die components (e.g. punches, buttons) in place. They come in various types that serve different purposes. Some popular ones include:
At Moeller Precision Tool, our True-Set&#; line of retainers are the best in the industry. Manufactured from a single through-hardened piece of high-quality alloy steel, the design enables great punch positioning and prevents stacking tolerance errors.
Moeller also manufactures special per-print multi-hole retainers in True-Set&#; style that reduce die assembly time and eliminate the need for backing plates and plugs.
The company is the world’s best stamping die technologies supplier. We are your one-stop shop for all needs. Our staff are highly-specialized and will help you find the product you need.
All of the die components above can be customized for your application. They can be machined to meet per-spec shapes, sizes, etc.
There are also a number of add-ons you can incorporate within your die. Check out our True Strip&#; mechanical stripppers, urethane strippers, shim plates, and backing plates for examples.
At Moeller Precision Tool, we&#;re your trusted global partner for standard and special die components. We use years of industry research, state-of-the-art equipment, and best quality assurance practices to manufacture the tools die builders like you need to achieve a job well done.
We specialize in the following die components:
We have many reputable partners that can help you with die plates, guide pins, and bushings as well.
If you&#;d like more information on how Moeller Precision Tool can help you get the high-quality die components you need, contact us online today.
Editor&#;s Note: This is the fourth in a series of articles presenting the fundamentals of stamping die design and construction.
In my previous installment, I discussed the importance of selecting and designing the strip carrier for a progressive die. Now let&#;s look at the basic steps needed to make a given part geometry. The method used to determine the steps necessary to make a part is called processing the part. These processing steps are critical to the success of the entire stamping operation.
The first thing to determine when processing a part is the style and type of blank that will be used to make it. The blank is the starting piece of sheet metal that will eventually be formed and cut into the desired part shape or profile.
Three basic types of blanks are used in sheet metal stamping, and all three can be used with transfer, progressive, and stage tooling.
An undeveloped blank (see Figure 1) starts off as a basic shape such as a square, rectangle, or trapezoid that can be created using straight-line cuts. The advantage to using an undeveloped blank is that you won&#;t have to purchase a special blanking die to cut out a special shape; you can use a simple shearing die.
Keep in mind that using an undeveloped blank is not conducive to all metal forming operations, such as deep drawing. The extra material outside of the forming punch can sometimes create a resistance to flow, resulting in part failures such as splitting. Engineers typically choose undeveloped blanks if the material has a great deal of stretchability, and limited inward flow of metal will be required to make the desired part geometry.
A semideveloped blank (see Figure 2) is shaped to use just enough material, so that little material is left to trim away later. This type of blank is popular when the trim tolerance on the part is very small. A semideveloped blank will require slightly more material to produce a piece part than a fully developed blank.
A blank also can be undeveloped in certain areas and partially developed in other areas. This allows the process engineer to hold tight tolerances in areas of the part that require it and save material and the cost of additional cutting operations in areas that have greater tolerance.
A fully developed blank (see Figure 3) often is used when there is a reasonable amount of profile tolerance in the finished part and the geometry is fairly simple. The blank is shaped so that after it is formed, it will not require any additional trimming operations. In other words, the net shape of the part will be established.
Because of normal sheet metal variables such as small differences in mechanical properties and thicknesses and inconsistent frictional values, using a fully developed blank often will result in minor inconsistency in the part&#;s edge dimensions. If the part requires precision edge location, then secondary trimming usually is required. But when no additional trimming is required, no scrap is produced, so a fully developed blank might result in material savings.
Determining the forming process typically requires a lot of metal forming experience. The general guideline is to establish all the forms on your part first and trim and pierce the part in secondary processes.
When deep forms in the sheet metal are required, deep drawing will likely be necessary (see Figure 4). In drawing, the flow of material into a cavity or over a punch is controlled. Items such as oil filters, kitchen sinks, and cookware are formed using deep drawing. The process typically requires a semideveloped blank and sometimes multiple operations, known as redraws or reductions. If drawing is performed in a progressive die, it will most certainly require a stretch web. (For more information, see &#;Stamping Die Essentials: The process layout.&#;
If the shape on the part is fairly shallow and the features are not deep, embossing may be the forming method of choice (see Figure 5). Embossing can be defined as the stretching of metal into a shallow depression. To achieve embossing, the metal must have enough stretchability to make the part shape, while drawing uses flow and stretching to make the part shape.
Bending is defined as deforming the material along a straight-line axis, while flanging is bending the metal on a curved axis. Take care when designing a die to create a stretch flange, as there is a higher probability of the metal splitting when it&#;s formed. Typically, metals with high formability or elongation are the best candidates when creating a stretch flange.
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