Stamping progressive dies

Design and Engineering: Progressive dies are custom-designed for specific parts or components. The design includes a series of stations, each of which performs a specific operation on the metal strip or sheet as it moves through the die. These operations can include cutting, bending, punching, and forming.

Material Feeding: A continuous strip or sheet of metal, such as steel or aluminum, is fed into the progressive die at the entry point. The width and thickness of the material are determined by the specifications of the part being produced.

Piercing and Blanking: The first station in the die often involves piercing and blanking, where holes are punched in the material, and the outside shape is cut out. The stripped material is typically waste and is ejected.

Intermediate Operations: As the material progresses through the die, it passes through various stations, each performing a specific operation. These stations can include bending, embossing, forming, and more, depending on the requirements of the final part.

Progressive Transfer: In some progressive dies, especially for complex parts, a transfer system may be used to move the material from one station to the next. This ensures precise alignment and positioning of the material for each operation.

Cutoff and Final Operations: The final station(s) often include cutting the finished part from the strip or sheet and performing any remaining operations, such as threading, countersinking, or additional bending, as needed.

Ejection: Once the part is complete, it is ejected from the die. The remaining strip or sheet, which is now scrap, is typically collected for recycling.

Quality Control: Throughout the process, quality control measures may be in place to ensure that the parts meet the required specifications. This can include checks for dimensional accuracy, material thickness, and visual inspections.