There is much more to metal stamping than most people take into consideration.
Complex parts often require a series of several different steps to create. Parts that may seem simple at first glance rarely need only one stamping step to be considered properly completed.
Confusion is often found when determining the appropriate process for metal stamping. When selecting a metal Metal Stampingstamping process, one should consider:
How the stamping process will impact the functionality of the design
The design or industry-specific requirements
Production time and cost-effectiveness
Common Metal Stamping Processes
Disregarding steps such as design and prototyping, which are necessarily performed prior to stamping, there are nine primary processes involved in the actual stamping of metal parts.
Blanking
When required, blanking is the first step of the stamping process. Blanking is the process of cutting larger sheet or coils of metal into smaller, more manageable pieces. Blanking is usually performed when a stamped metal piece will be drawn or formed.
Piercing
If a part requires slots, holes, or other cutouts, piercing can be employed. Piercing, which can be performed simultaneously with blanking, punches the requisite shapes out of the metal sheet.
Drawing
Drawing is the actual stamping in the metal stamping process. A punch forces a section of metal through a die, providing the primary shape of the part. When the depth of the part is less than the primary opening, it is considered shallow drawing; parts with a depth greater than the opening are deep drawn.
Bending
Bending is a fairly self-explanatory process. The part-in-progress is placed on a specially designed die and a ram pushes against the metal, providing the required bend. Bending is performed after drawing, as attempting to punch an already bent piece of metal causes the entire part to deform.
Air Bending
Air bending is when the flat surface of a part is bent by a punch into a die, often V-shaped. The space between the punch and die is larger than the metal thickness, resulting in a bend that relaxes slightly when the part is released. Air bending uses less power and pressure than other bending methods.
Read more: 9 METAL STAMPING PROCESSES TO CONSIDER