Metal Stamping:

Now that we’ve reviewed materials, and are familiar with the basics of steel, copper, aluminum, and brass, what is it exactly that we do with these materials? Depending on the material, we’ll either machine them or stamp them. Aluminum and brass are typically machined at our facility, while copper clad and steel are stamped. We’ve also covered different machining options, so what is metal stamping?

A simple way to explain metal stamping is to say that metal is fed into a die, where punches pierce, form, and cut material into a finished part. A more step-by-step explanation of metal stamping is the process of feeding coiled material from an un-coiler, through a material straightening device, into a die that is being ran by a punch press of varying speeds and tonnage. Is your head spinning yet?

We’ll be taking the next couple of weeks to breakdown the process of what is happening, and the key concepts of a metal stamping operation deals with on a day-to-day basis.

This is a Minster straight side style punch press. We’ll get into general information, and anatomy of a punch press next week.

Breakdown of the Coming Weeks:

There’s a lot to cover in the process of metal stamping. There are a lot of engineering concepts, and different machines that put together just one part. We’ll start out by focusing on the big machines that go together to ensure material is properly fed. Some of the machines we’ll be focusing on include:

• Punch Presses
• Un-Coilers
• Feeders
• Straighteners

Once we’ve got a hold of all of the big machinery that goes into making parts, we’ll take an in depth look at dies. Dies are the intricate tools that fit inside the punch press, and where the material is fed. Dies are what actually make the part, by piercing, forming, and cutting the material. Some of the topics we’ll cover regarding dies are:

• Different Types of Dies (coining, single hit, progressive, fine blank, etc.)
• Key Concepts in Die Function
• General Anatomy of a Die

We’ve got a lot of topics to cover over the next couple of months, so check in here every Wednesday for a new topic on metal stamping.