Tool and die personal are trained to design tooling based on the custom metal stampings that are needed for that a particular purpose in mind. With fewer custom metal stamping services in recent times, there are fewer tool and die personal that can make tooling to make custom metal stampings. Read more: http://www.loopdesk.com/article/45099/custom-metal-stamping-services-progressive-tool-and-die

1. Custom Metal Stamping
Services/Progressive Tool and Die

2. Today the number of custom metal stamping services have diminished from thousands after World
War II to several hundred today. American metal stamping services are in direct competition with
the likes of Mexico and China. Although some foreign countries make take the lead in labor and
sometimes tooling and part price, American companies lead the world in technology and
innovation, not to mention efficiency.
Animated Manufacturing Company specializes in long-run custom metal stampings made to the
design and order of our customers. We produce very simple custom metal stampings to very
complex assemblies.

3. Any good custom metal stamping service can take a customer’s designs and produce either a
simple blank die, a compound blank die, or very complex progressive dies. Some, like Animated,
has four slide capabilities as well. A metal stamping service works with the customer to fulfill their
needs. Custom metal stampings can range from the very small, using very thin material to the very
large, using thick material. Custom metal stamping can be made of Hot Rolled Pickled and Oiled,
Cold Rolled Steel, High Carbon Steel, copper, brass, stainless steel or a wide variety of different
alloys each formulated for a specific purpose in a particular environment.

4. Tool and die personal are trained to design tooling based on the custom metal stampings that are
needed for that a particular purpose in mind. With fewer custom metal stamping services in
recent times, there are fewer tool and die personal that can make tooling to make custom metal
stampings.

5. Before any part is produced in a progressive die, the design of the die has to be considered. A
toolmaker has to decide how the part is going to go through the die. The part’s critical dimensions
determine the way the part is situated on the strip. Also trying to use the most material with the
least amount of scrap keeping in mind the grain direction of the material being used. Trying to
form a part with the grain may cause fatigue that can in turn lead to cracking.

6. The toolmaker has to consider where the cam and driver will be located because that will
determine how large the die will be in order to accommodate the strip going through it. When
laying out a die consideration has to be made for the amount of lift needed to carry the strip
through the die. Reduction of lift may sometimes be achieved by rotating the part or by forming
the part upward, although this may add to the price of the progressive die. If heaver materials are
used especially when the strip is narrow the feed should be as short as possible, this would
eliminate most feed problems and be more cost-effective.

7. There are three ways to carry a part through a die, using the scrap between the parts, using one or
both sides of the material, or ladder style. The style used is based on the complexity of the part,
how much lift is needed, how much material has to be trimmed off. The more stations in a
progressive tool, the greater the risk of feed and pilot alignment problems caused by camber in the
material.

8. After consideration is made of the direction of the strip, the position of the part on the strip and
the way the strip is carried, the type, the locations and the number of pilots have to be considered.
All these factors affect the progression of the material going through the progressive die.
Whenever there is any uncertainty about how a part is to be formed, empty stations should be
added. Idle stations can be used later to modify the part without having to build a completely new
progressive die.
Much has to be considered when doing precision metal forming. A quality part takes the skill and
experience of a good progressive tool and die person. Precision metal forming is both a skill and an
art form.

9. Source-
http://www.loopdesk.com/article/45099/custom-metal-stamping-services-
progressive-tool-and-die

10. Contact Us
Animated Manufacturing Co.
Address: 106 W. 154th St., South Holland, IL, 60473, USA
Main Telephone 708-333-6688
Fax # 708-333-6692
Email: sales@animatedmfgco.com
Website: http://www.animatedmfgco.com/

11. Thank You…..