Precision metal stamping press

Custom Metal Stamping

High-volume precision stamping using progressive dies and transfer tooling — from prototype development to full production runs.

Stamping (Metalworking)

Stamping — also known as pressing — includes a variety of sheet-metal forming manufacturing processes, such as punching using a machine press or stamping press, blanking, embossing, bending, flanging, and coining. This could be a single stage operation where every stroke of the press produces the desired form on the sheet metal part, or could occur through a series of stages. The process is usually carried out on sheet metal, but can also be used on other materials, such as nylon and polyethylene.

Operations

  • Bending
  • Blanking
  • Coining
  • Drawing
  • Deep Drawing
  • Repoussé & Chasing (Embossing)
  • Forming
  • Piercing
  • Progressive Stamping
  • Shearing

Shearing

Shearing, also known as die cutting, is a process which cuts stock without the formation of chips or the use of burning or melting. If the cutting blades are straight the process is called shearing; if the cutting blades are curved then they are shearing-type operations. The most commonly sheared materials are in the form of sheet metal or plates, however rods can also be sheared. Shearing-type operations include blanking, piercing, and trimming.

Principle

A punch (or moving blade) is used to push the workpiece against the die (or fixed blade). Usually the clearance between the two is 5 to 10% of the thickness of the material. This causes the material to experience highly localized shear stresses between the punch and die. The material will fail when the punch has moved 15 to 60% the thickness of the material, because the shear stresses are greater than the shear strength of the material.

Tolerances & Surface Finish

When shearing a sheet, the typical tolerance is ±0.1, but it is feasible to get the tolerance to within ±0.005. While shearing a bar and angle, the typical tolerance is ±0.06, but it is possible to get the tolerance to ±0.03. Surface finishes typically occur within the 250 to 1000 microinches range.