In metal stamping processes, the types vary from one another based on what shape they achieve.
FREMONT, CA: Various types of metal stamping processes creates complex designs for various industries, such as consumer goods, aviation, electronics, telecommunications, automotive manufacturing, food and beverage, and many more. However, an entire metal stamping project rarely uses only one technique since each process accomplishes a certain design on sheet metal.
Some sorts of metal stamping include the following: piercing, coining, lancing, drawing, embossing, and blanking. Though they may include differentiated techniques, they’re all done in room temperature environments with minimal-to-no heat application. In addition, different types of tooling dies, machinery and other tools make these cold-forming processes possible to attain the desired appearance.
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Piercing
Piercing is one of the most elemental forms of metal stamping. In this procedure, sheet metal is securely placed on a workbench. Next, a machining tool punches a hole through the sheet metal, creating multiple small hollow areas. Unlike other techniques, the resulting punched material is discarded from the entire process and won’t be used later.
In this type of process, the punching motion must remain instantaneous. This guarantee that there will be no deformations around the hole formation.
Piercing machines are generally made out of high carbon steel and are kept in excellent condition to avoid any blunt areas affecting the shape of the metal workpiece.
Blanking
Blanking seems similar to piercing, but with a major difference — the punched piece is not discarded but is considered the finished product. Many metal stampers generally do this as the first stage of an entire metal stamping project, followed by other techniques such as piercing, bending, or coining.
Blanking is done to fabricate small or medium-sized metals that have been cut out from a large metal sheet. This is an ideal process for low- and high-volume production due to its simplicity yet ability to create high-precision metal cuttings.
There are some cases where the cut metal product may have burrs or sharp unwanted edges. Although common, they are usually eliminated through manual deburring, vibratory finishes, or heat deburring.
Drawing
For metal stamping, manufacturers commonly refer to the drawing process. This is where two contrary ends of sheet metal are held in place by a machine. Below the sheet metal is a die with a specific shape or cross-section. A punch produces a high effect force to push the sheet metal onto the die, effectively deforming it to match its cross-sections.
Drawing can be additionally divided into shallow drawing and deep drawing. Shallow drawing is named such since the radius of the primary blank is capable of the depth of the draw. This is where the radius of the main blank is considerably smaller than the depth created. Meantime, deep drawing generally forms cup-shaped products.
Coining
As the name implies, coining is a metal stamping technique in which a small piece of metal is stamped to take the shape and features of a coin. This is a closed die forging method wherein the metal specimen is stamped in whole or part by two dies closing toward each other on both sides of the metal.
One advantage of coining is that it can produce metal products with a high number of tolerances. This raises its resistance against impacts and other types of physical abrasions. It’s also a simple process that can efficiently create permanent deformations on the product.
Lancing
Unlike piercing and blanking, lancing is a sort of metal stamping that does not result in removing metal pieces. Instead, the die and the punch work so that they both create a slit on the sheet metal. As a result, this process does not lead to scrap metal pieces, such as slugs, that must be discarded or eliminated during post-processing.
Lancing creates forte shapes and designs across different metals. Its distinct feature is a hook-like shape used for any application requiring vents, tabs, or openings.
Embossing
Embossing is a method that produces special raised surfaces on the area of sheet metal. Embossed materials can be made in a machine or a die set.
Embossing can be used in several applications because of the complexity of designs that it can form. Some main examples are car hoods, door frames, metal coverings, plates, engine housings, checkered steel plates, and the like.
While steel and different types of metals can be embossed, aluminum is the most popular option due to its high machinability. It’s also a lightweight and durable material that goes well together with the advantages of embossing.
Key Outcome
Some of the most beneficial techniques in metal fabrication are metal stamping processes. The sorts are classified based on how each process is performing.
Simple techniques like piercing and blanking are usually considered starting points of a metal stamping project — secondary processes usually follow them before the final product is created. On the other hand, complex techniques like drawing, embossing, lancing, and coining can produce special designs that don’t require further machining.
The significance of metal stamping cannot be stated sufficiently for all kinds of industries. Its employ range from small consumer products to large stampings for automotive and other industries of scale.
