Progressive die stamping Sheet metal stamping dies are used to produce high precision metal components which

are identical in shape and size. Beside that, Stamping presses and stamping dies are tools used to produce high volume sheet metal parts. These parts achieve their shape through the effects of the die tooling[1]. Sheet metal stamping firms could be of various types depending upon the type of work and accuracy of the metal stamped parts. Example fine blanking firms produce high precision stamping parts on thich sheet metals but the production speed is relatively slow. The dimensional accuracy and stability which you can achieve using precision metal stamping dies are very high and thus metal stamping dies are integral part of any manufacturing industry. You can see metal stamping components everywhere. From the electrical switches at your home to the computer you are surfing, from cars to aircrafts, everything needs precision metal stamping parts. Metal stamping dies can be used for various sheet metal operations like, shearing, blanking, piercing, bending, forming, coining, embossing, extrusion, deep drawing etc. Production stamping is generally performed on materials .020 to .080 thick, but the process also can be applied to foils as thin as .001 or to plate stock with thickness' approaching 1.000[1]. The word die is a generic term used to describe the tooling used to produce stamped parts[1]. Since additional work is done in each "station" of the die, it is important that the strip be advanced very precisely so that it aligns within a few thousandths of an inch as it moves from station to station. Bullet shaped or conical "pilots" enter previously pierced round holes in the strip to assure this alignment since the feeding mechanism usually cannot provide the necessary precision in feed length. The dies are usually made of tool steel to withstand the high shock loading involved, retain the necessary sharp cutting edge, and resist the abrasive forces involved. There are many variations of progressive die designs. The design shown here illustrates some common operations and terminology associated with progressive dies[2].

5W + 1H What, my video is about progressive die stamping of coil Where, Stations/The progressive stamping die is placed into a reciprocating stamping press Who, operators will monitor and check the progressive die stamping tool Why, Progressive dies provide an effective way to convert raw coil stock into a finished product with minimal handling. As material feeds from station to station in the die, it progressively works into a completed part. When, the process will be done if there is a request from customer How, As the press moves up, the top die moves with it, which allows the material to feed. When the press moves down, the die closes and performs the stamping operation. With each stroke of the press, a completed part is removed from the die. Progressive dies usually run from right to left[2]. The part material feeds one progression for each press cycle. Early stations typically perforate holes that serve as pilots to locate the stock strip in later stations.

Plus The cost is determined by the number of features, which determine what tooling will need to be used. It is advised to keep the features as simple as possible to keep the cost of tooling to a minimum. the utilization of multiple cutting and/or forming operations simultaneously, excellent suitability to produce small workpieces at a rapid rate, the necessity to invest in expensive die sets, the ability to save time and money by combining forming operations, the capability to maintain close tolerances, depending on the tools.

Minus Die making is as much of an art as a science. When all the dynamics of stamping are taken into account, the resulting part may not meet all expectations[1], The design of progressive dies is a complex and highly specialized procedure[3], the high cost associated with setting up such systems is quite often beyond the reach of small and medium sized sheet metal industries, especially in developing countries[3], The diverse nature of products produced by progressive dies demands a high level of knowledge on the part of the die designer that can only be achieved through years of practical experience, Features that are close together produce a problem because it may not provide enough clearance for the punch, which could result in another station.

An excellent example of the product of a progressive die is the lid of a beverage can. The pull tab is made in one progressive stamping process and the lid & assembly is made in another, the pull tab simultaneously feeding at a right angle into the lid & assembly process. Die design is one field of precision metal stamping which gained considerable growth in the recent years. Computers have replaced drafters and drawing boards making the design easier, accurate, unambiguous and faster. Today various computer aided design (CAD) softwares like AutoCAD, Solid works, Unigraphics, Pro Engineer etc help stamping die designers life much easier. Designers also take the help of analysis softwares like Anysis and Nastran to predict the sheet material behavior during various metal stamping operations. Tool and Die making is one of most high precision engineering branches. It requires precision machineries and highly skilled work force. Tool and die makers and precision machinists are among the most highly skilled workers in manufacturing industry. Stamping die manufacturing involves step by step operations starting from design study, planning, pre-machining, heat treatment, final machining, bench fitting and assembly. Machining involves numerous operations from raw material cutting, drilling, shaping, milling, turning, grinding, cylindrical etc to modern CNC machining operations like EDM, Wire EDM etc. Major components of a progressive die are die block, die gages (front spacer and back gage), stripper plate, punch plate, back plate, punches, pilots, dieset and fasteners[3]. The dimensions of front spacer and back gage mainly depend on the sheet thickness[3]. But minimum thickness of die gages is also restricted by risk of camber which may occur during heat treatment process of its manufacturing. The distance between back gage and front spacer depends on the width of stock strip. The size of stripper plate corresponds to the size of die block. The punch plate is used to position and support the punches. The thickness of punch plate is a function of punch diameter. Progressive Die Design is a highly involved process and this is compounded when it comes to integrating design change. Al Dean investigates the dedicated suite of tools in NX from Siemens PLM Software which helps overcome the inherent complexity[4].

References : [1] Society of Manufacturing Engineers, www.sme.org . Sheet metal stamping dies & processes. Fundamental Manufacturing Processes Video Series Study Guide,page 1-5. [2] Dayton Progress Corporation, www.daytonprogress.com. Stamping basics fundamentals & terminology.Dayton,Ohio;2003, page 1-16. [3] Kumar S. Singh R. A knowledge-based system for selection of progressive die components. Journal of Achievements in Materials and Manufacturing Engineering Volume 20 Issues 1-2 January-February 2007,p. 475-478. [4] Develop3D, www.develop3d.com. NX progressive die design Dec/Jan 2011, p. 46-49.