For manufacturers who require precision parts with tight tolerances, it can pay to compare the options for manufacturing processes. Although fine blanking may be the best choice for certain parts requiring edges with minimal break, progressive stamping can replicate many of the same edge conditions while performing multiple operations on one progressive die. The result can be higher production volumes and lower costs.
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According to Art Hedrick, author of Die Basics 101 at thefabricator.com and owner of Dieology, “Among the many factors to consider when choosing a production method are the production speeds necessary to produce the required quantity within a given time frame; the material consumption needed for each part; the production method cost; preventive maintenance requirements; equipment availability; and the part shape, size, and geometric tolerance specified.”
When evaluating progressive stamping vs. fine blanking, manufacturers should ask these three questions.
The exact specifications of the part provided by the manufacturer tend to dictate the type of production process used. Fine blanking and metal stamping are evaluated for parts that must maintain robust sidewall features in such applications as gears and levers used in automotive and other industries.
Fine blanking is usually considered for parts requiring specific edge conditions or thicker metal, due to the machinery’s ability to achieve extremely flat surfaces and create sidewall features such as teeth or hooks.
Progressive metal stamping can achieve similar edge conditions to fine blanking, by incorporating pre-blanking, shaving and burnishing into the progressive die, which completes these operations in one press pass.
Often, manufacturers seeking to cut parts costs will look to metal stamping as an option to replace fine blanking. Not all parts that are fine blanked can be converted to a metal stamping, but manufacturers may wish to consider their options by consulting with a metal stamping firm for their engineering expertise and cost estimates. For example, critical-to-function dimensions may not be required on all sides of the part, and slight variances may be tolerated without impairing the part’s function and long-term durability. The metal stamping engineers can provide guidance on whether a fine blanked part might be successfully converted to a progressive stamping, as well as develop prototypes for testing.
Although fine blanking manufacturers may offer some progressive tooling operations, such as forms and bends, such capabilities are limited with fine blanking machinery and may require secondary operations in-house or from outside suppliers to complete.
In contrast, progressive stamping can incorporate multiple forming and piercing operations by using a progressive die designed exclusively for the part’s critical dimensions.
Secondary operations that can be accomplished with a progressive die include:
In progressive stamping, the goal is to achieve repeatability and consistent quality by incorporating as many features in-die as possible, which reduces the variability created when going to secondary operations.
In general, fine blanking is more expensive than metal stamping due to longer run times. In addition, any time a part needs to move to a secondary operation, costs increase, as does production time. When asking for an estimate on a fine blanked part vs. a progressive stamped part, each firm should provide costs for all the operations required to produce the part to specifications, whether performed entirely in-house or with one or more external suppliers. If the part design allows, precision metal stamping with a progressive die may save significantly on total part costs over fine blanking.
Though no two projects are the same, there are some universal elements of production that all can benefit from:
Efficiency.
Versatility.
Cost-effectiveness.
Timeliness.
When it comes to transforming sheets of raw metal look no further than progressive die stamping. A sophisticated metalworking method, progressive die metal stamping brings a level of optimization to even the most complex or high-volume orders.
In this guide, we’ll take a deep dive into this fabrication technique, looking at:
Valued for its ability to maintain consistency throughout high volumes of production, progressive die stamping involves cutting and forming raw metal sheets through a series of stations on a continuous run. Stamping stations can include:
Resource: Intro to Die Stamping Tools - How Do They Work?
During this metal fabrication method, a metal strip is fed through a series of stamping stations. As each station performs its operation, the strip is moved down the press in sequence. At the end of the run, the metal strip is turned into a finished piece – with all metal forming operations happening quickly in succession in one place.
Ultimately, this reduces the amount of processing steps involved and makes for better production efficiency.
What comprises a progressive die?
Multiple stations that perform a series of operations in sequence, which include the following:
In general, stamping dies perform two primary functions: cutting and forming.
Cutting dies typically consist of sharp-edged tools that exert force to shear or separate the metal along specific contours. Common cutting operations in progressive die stamping include:
Forming operations involves shaping the metal workpiece into desired geometries, imparting depth, contours, and features. These operations utilize forming dies, which exert pressure on the metal to deform it without cutting through. Common forming operations include:
In fabrication of any sort, there’s no question what role precision plays – even being off by fractions of a centimeter can be enough to send a finished piece to the scrap pile. Providing stability and guidance, punches and pilots in progressive stamping each help shape & move the strip metal as it’s formed to ensure that it meets specifications.
Feed mechanisms and stripper plates are what make high-volume production through this metal forming process possible at a consistent rate.
Feed mechanisms are essentially what move the materials (usually metal) down the die for stamping, efficiently and at a high volume. There are three common forms of mechanisms:
After each stamping process, the stripper removes the completed object from the punch. Stripper plates provide a smooth ejection of the part from the die cavity and stop it from adhering to the punch. To increase overall productivity, they facilitate a quick injection of completed pieces.
While there are many types of metalworking methods available – including other stamping processes – progressive die metal stamping offers several benefits that are hard to ignore.
It should come as no surprise why it’s become a go-to means to create finished pieces of varying complexities.
What does progressive die stamping bring to the table?
As we mentioned, progressive die stamping can be used to form a variety of materials. Metal is the primary material used in this fabrication process, though it can also be used on certain plastics and composite materials.
For metalworking, both ferrous and nonferrous metals can be stamped. The most common metals run through progressive stamping include:
Certain specialty metals are also good candidates for progressive metal stamping. For instance, it’s not uncommon to see titanium and nickel-based alloys fabricated, as they both withstand corrosion, heat, and physical stress.
As a versatile and precise metal fabrication process, you’ll see components produced by this stamping method across a host of industries and applications:
The choice of stamping method for your project significantly influences the efficiency, quality, and suitability of the final product.
Progressive die stamping is renowned for its ability to produce large volumes of complex parts through a continuous series of operations. But how does it stack up against other metal stamping techniques?
Our chart below compares progressive stamping vs. other stamping methods. But first, let’s take a look at the other metal stamping options for your project.
Resource: Learn more about other types of stamping processes. Check out our article, “Metal Stamping Processes.”
Method
Production Volume
Part Complexity
Speed
Cost-Effectiveness
Setup Time
Flexibility
Material Waste
Repeatability
Progressive Die Stamping
High
Medium to High
Very High
Very High
Long
Low
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Low
Very High
Single-stroke die stamping
Low
Low
Moderate
High
Short
Low
Low
High
Compound die stamping
Medium to High
Medium
High
Moderate
Moderate
Moderate
Moderate
High
Transfer die stamping
High
High
Low
Low
Long
High
High
Moderate
Multislide/fourslide stamping
Medium
High
Moderate
Moderate
Moderate
High
Moderate
Moderate
Deep draw stamping
Low to Medium
High
Low
Low
Long
Low
High
High
Fine blanking
Medium
Medium
Moderate
Moderate
Moderate
Moderate
Low
Very High
There’s nothing like bringing a high level of efficiency and precision to any project.
When it comes to shaping sheet metal into finished pieces, progressive die stamping checks both boxes while also meeting the size and scope of your project.
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