The Basics of Metal Stamping

Metal stamping is a cold forming process that uses a tool and press to machine sheet metal into different shapes. Flat metal parts (often called blanks) are fed into a sheet metal stamping press which uses tools and die surfaces to shape the metal into new shapes. Production facilities and metal manufacturers offering stamping services will place the material to be stamped between the die sections, where pressure is used to shape and shear the material into the final shape required for the product or component.

Types of stamping dies

Dies used for metal stamping operations can be classified as single-station or multi-station dies.

Single-station dies include compound dies and combination dies. Compound dies perform multiple cutting operations in a single press stroke, such as the multiple cuts required to make simple washers from steel.

Combination dies are dies that combine cutting and non-cutting operations into a single press stroke. An example might be a die that produces a cut and flange for a given metal blank.

Multi-station dies include progressive and transfer dies in which the grooving, punching and cutting operations are performed sequentially from the same die.

Stainless Steel S Shaped Hook

Steel rule dies, also known as knife dies, were originally used for softer materials such as leather, paper or cardboard, but are also used for cutting and forming metals, including aluminium, copper and brass. The steel strip material used for the cutting face is designed to match the desired shape and a slot is cut in the die shoe to hold the steel ruler material in place. The characteristics of the material to be cut, such as its thickness and hardness, help to determine the thickness of the steel tape to be used in the cutting blade.

Material considerations

The choice of metal stamping material to be used depends on the desired properties of the finished product. Stamping is not limited to the manufacturing process of metals - there are many metal stamping materials that can be processed by stamping techniques, such as paper, leather or rubber, but metal is by far the most commonly used.

In general, metals tend to retain their ductility and malleability after stamping. Those materials used for precision stamping usually range from soft to medium hardness with a low coefficient of flow. Some of the common metals and metal types manufactured by stamping include

Metal Stamping Gasket

Precious metals, such as silver, gold and platinum

Ferrous metals, especially iron-based alloys such as stainless steel

Non-ferrous metals such as bronze, brass and zinc

Non-standard alloys such as beryllium-nickel and beryllium-copper

Ferrous metals are often used in stamping operations because their low carbon content means that they are one of the cheapest options available, thus reducing unit production costs.

Advantages of stamping

Some of the advantages of stamping compared to other processes include lower tooling costs, lower secondary costs and a high degree of automation. Metal stamping dies tend to be less expensive to produce and maintain than those used in other common processes.

Secondary costs such as cleaning and plating are also cheaper than similar treatments for other metal manufacturing processes. Stamping presses are relatively easy to automate and can be programmed with high-end computer controls, providing greater precision, faster production and quicker turnaround times. A high degree of automation also reduces labour costs.

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