(1) Outline of Dies A blanking die is one which is used for producing contour shapes as is shown in Fig. 1.

While the blanked contour becomes the contour of the product as it is in some cases, it is the developed shape of a product formed by bending or drawing, etc. in other cases. This can be said to be one of the basic press forming types.

Fig. 2 shows the structure of a standard blanking die. This is a die of the fixed stripper structure. The blanking die is divided into a top die (which is constructed from a shank, a punch holder, a punch plate, and a punch) and a bottom die (which is constructed from a stripper, a die, and a die holder).

As shown in Fig. 3, the top die is installed to the slide of the press machine. In this example, the shank of the die is installed by fixing it using a shank holder. This is a method of installing the top die in the case of relatively small dies.

The bottom die is fixed using clamps on the bolster plate of the press machine. A very important factor in dies is the clearance. In this example, the clearances of the punch and die are matched at the time of installing the die in the press machine. This type of die is called an open die. The operation of installing the die in the press machine is called "setting up the die". The clearance changes depending on the skill of the worker in setting up the die in the case of an open die. This can also mean that the quality of the formed product is likely to change every time the die is set up. In order to solve this problem, a guide post and a guide bush are used as shown in Fig. 4 so that the relationship between the top die and the bottom die is maintained in the dies themselves. A large number of dies of this type are being used in which the relationship between the top die and the bottom die are maintained constant. A unit in which the punch holder, guide bush, guide post, and the die holder are integrated into one single unit is called a "die set". Further, a die of this shape is called a "die with a die set".

(2) Details of die design Firstly, a die has a specific purpose of metal forming. In this case it is blanking. The functions necessary for blanking are to be understood first and then the concept is to be established. Work is started after installing a die in the press machine. The method of installing the die is investigated and determined. In this example, the method of fixing used is that of fixing using a shank and a general purpose clamp. In addition to take measures to make the setting up of the die easy, measures should be taken so that there is no fluctuation in the product quality even if the die is used repeatedly. In this example, the relationship between the die and the punch is maintained constant using a guide post and a guide bush (preventing fluctuations in the clearance), and setting up the die is made easy. During die design, the necessary items are listed up, the policy is established, and then the detailed design is carried out.

#129 Design of Blanking dies (2) Outline of Blanking Punch Design Category : Shearing work July 6, 2012 In blanking work, the shape of the blanking punch is the same as the shape of the blanked product. The dimensions of the blanking punch at that time are made smaller than the blank dimensions by the amount of clearance. *See also Lesson 5:Clearance in the Blanking Operation Lesson 11:Basics of Blanking Work (1) Blanking Work Lesson 26:Basics of Die Structure (1) : Structure of Blanking Dies - 1

During the design, it is important to make the shape simple and easy to prepare. The changes depending on the size of the blanking punch are indicated below. (1) Design of a large sized punch (See Fig. 1)

Since the punch area is large in the case of a large sized punch, it is possible to drill threaded holes for fixing the punch and holes for dowel pins (knock pins) inside that area. This is shown schematically in Fig. 1 (a). This type of shape can be machined easily using a wire cut discharge machine. Fig. 1 (b) is a standard shape of an assembly of the top die. The punch plate is omitted and the punch is directly installed to the punch holder thereby simplifying the structure. In the case of simple shapes such as a circle, etc., it is possible to prepare in further simplified manner by integrating the shank and the punch as shown in Fig. 1 (c). However, as explained in Lesson No. 168, the problem of adjusting the clearances of the punch and the die remains. (2) Design of a medium sized punch (See Fig. 2)

This is a type of punch whose size makes it difficult to drill threaded holes or knock holes inside it. In the case of a simple shape such as a circle, etc., it is possible to provide a flange and to drill threaded holes or knock holes in the flange part, and to design again a structure in which the punch plate is omitted. When the shape is complex, a flange is provided at a simple part, and the design is made in a similar fashion. When this has been determined to be difficult to do, the punch will have to be fixed using a punch plate. Understand that the punch plate is not an indispensable part. (3) Design of a small sized punch (See Fig. 3)

When the product becomes small, even the punch becomes small. In that case, it becomes difficult to fix only the punch to the top die, and the method is used of fixing the punch after embedding it in a plate. This plate for fixing the punch is called a punch plate. As shown in figure (f), the punch is made as straight as possible. When there is some problem in the strength due to the relationship between the size of the punch and the punch length, the design is made to provide a step in the punch. The relationship between the punch and the punch plate is designed so that the punch is lightly press fitted inside the hole in the punch plate (so that it can enter the hole with light hit with a plastic hammer). This ensures the verticality and position of the punch.

Since it is difficult to ensure the verticality of the punch when it is fixed by swaging, this method should be avoided as far as possible. It is standard practice to use S50C or SS400 as the material for the punch plate. The thickness should be about 30% to 40% of the punch length. (4) Punch material The standard punch material is SKD11. The heat treated hardness should be about 60 HRC. The major method of preparing dies is using wire cut electric discharge machining. This is because the wire cut electric discharge machining is suitable for the material SKD11 and it is also good for wear resistance. The punch material is changed taking SKD11 as the reference depending on the number of work steps, the material of the product to be worked, etc. #130 Design of Blanking dies (3) Shank Design
Category : Shearing work July13, 2012

The shank is used as a part for installing the top die in the slide of the press machine. This part is not limited to blanking dies, but is used commonly in all types of dies. We describe this first because it is basic information. The relationship between the shank and the punch holder is shown in Fig. 1. The punch holder is the part being the base, and the shank is installed above it.

A shank is a part with the shape of a pillar, and is used for installing the top die of a relatively small die in the slide of the press machine. The standard diameters of the shank are 25, 32, 38, and 50 mm. These sizes are a legacy from the sizes in inches. Care should be taken because there are some old machines in which the size is not 25 mm but 25.4 mm. The lengths used are about 50 to 65 mm. The materials used for shanks are SS400, S50C or equivalent, or FC250. (1)Types of shanks (See Fig. 2) Embedded shanks and flange shanks are used for fixing the top die. Apart from these, there are shanks for positioning and free shanks (see the descriptions in Lesson No. 171).

(1) Embedded shank

One end of an embedded shank has threads cut on it. The shank is screwed into the hole in the punch holder. After firmly screwing down, sometimes some measure is taken to prevent it from rotating. This is procured at the time of ordering the die set very often.
(2) Flange shank A

This is a shank having a circular flange. Generally, the shank is installed at the center of the die. (In a die with an eccentric load, the position of the shank may be shifted to match with the eccentricity of the load.) In a die having the knock out mechanism (used frequently in blanking dies of the inverted placement structure), an embedded shank may become an obstruction. A flange shank is used in such situations.
(3) Flange shank B

This is a shank having a square flange. While a round flange shank can be machined integrally, this type of shank is very often prepared by combining a standard plate and an embedded shank. This is used when a large area is to be covered by the flange.
(4) Shank for positioning

When the die becomes large, it becomes dangerous to install and retain the top die using a shank (the top die can fall off). In such cases, the top die is fixed using a punch holder. However, when it is necessary to match the centers, a short one is used with respect to the diameter of the shank.

#131 Design of Blanking dies (4) Free Shank Design and Guide Post Length Category : Shearing work July20, 2012 A free shank (see Fig. 1) is made up of two -- a shank holder and a shank head. The shank holder is installed in the slide of the press machine, and the shank head is installed in the die. The installation is done so that the top part of the shank head is caught in the groove in the shank holder. This shank has the function of transferring the pressing force to the punch holder and of pulling up the punch holder. There is a considerable play between the two parts. Because of this, the relationship between the top die and the bottom die should always be maintained by the guide posts and the guide bushes.

Fig. 1 (a) shows the relationship between the post and the bush when the die is at the top dead center. Fig. 1 (b) shows the relationship between the post and the bush when the die is at the bottom dead center. At this time, it should be made sure that the top end of the post does not hit against the bottom surface of the slide. When the punch and the die are reground, the die height becomes smaller thereby making the gap smaller between the top end of the post and the bottom surface of the slide. The design should be made such that this gap is present and there is no hitting of the one against the other even after regrinding has been repeated several times and the life of the die is approached. There are two purposes of using a free shank. One is to maintain the relationship between the punch and the die using posts and bushes, so that the work can be done without this relationship being affected by the press machine. The other is

to simplify the setting up of the die. The relationship between the post and the shank is explained below. See Fig. 2.

Care should be taken about the post length in the case of a die constituted as a die set. Normally, as shown in Figure 2 (c), at the bottom dead center, it is ensured that the top end of the post is lower than the top surface of the punch holder (even when the die height has become lower after regrinding). If due to some reason, the top end of the post projects beyond the top surface of the punch holder as shown in Figure 2 (d), a flange shank should be used thereby maintaining the relationship "s" between the bottom surface of the slide and the post. A very serious accident will occur if the top end of the post hits against the bottom surface of the slide. Sufficient care should be given in the design regarding this aspect. #132 Design of Blanking Dies (5) Design of Punch Holders Category : Shear Forming July27, 2012 A punch holder is a part that holds the top die. Except for special cases (such as directly providing a shank to the punch, etc.), a constituent part of the top die is mounted in the punch holder. A punch holder also serves as supporting the rigidity of the top die. In the case of a die having a structure in which a spring is used in the top die, the length of the holder may also be adjusted in some cases to match with the length of the spring. In the case of large dies in which the mounting of the top die to the press machine becomes unstable with only a shank, the mounting is done using a punch holder. Fig. 1 shows some method of mounting.

The method (a) assumes that the fixing is done using a clamp. The punch holder remains in the shape of a plate, and there is nothing addition to be done. The method (b) is one in which the fixing by a bolt is done using a U-shaped groove. It is necessary to design the U-shaped groove to match with the size of the bolt. The method of fixing (c) is one using a bolt and a hole drilled in the holder. The method of fixing (d) is one using a bolt and a threaded hole drilled in the holder. The above are the most commonly used methods for fixing a punch holder. In the case of the methods (a), (b), and (c), the preparations become easy if the thickness of the punch holder is standardized. In the case of the methods (b), (c), and (d), it is necessary to determine the position of the Ugroove or the position of the hole to match with the specifications of the press machine. The thickness of a punch holder is a very important factor. Its periphery can be left as it is in the welded state. When it is necessary to align the center of the press machine and the center of the die, it is convenient if a positioning shank is affixed. #133 Design of Blanking Dies (6) Design of Punch Plates Category : Shear Forming August 3, 2012 The designing of a punch was described in CourseNo. 129. At that time, it was explained that when the punch becomes small it becomes difficult to hold it independently, and that therefore the method is used of fixing it by embedding it in a plate. This plate that holds the punch is

called a punch plate. Fig. 1 shows a typical construction of a fixed stripper type structure using a punch plate.

In the fixed stripper structure, the position and the verticality of the punch is provided by the punch plate. In this method, the punch is lightly press-fitted into a hole in the punch plate. Light press-fitting is driving the punch inside the hole by hitting it lightly. Hard press-fitting is not desirable because it causes the punch plate to get warped or deformed. It is also necessary to consider preventing the punch from coming out the hole and dropping off (punch retainer). The details of this in terms of the relationship between the shape of the punch and the punch retainer are shown in Fig. 2.

The method (a) is an example of punches with simple shapes such as round and square. Such punches are very often prevented from falling off by providing a flange in the punch as a punch retainer.

The method (b) is an example of an odd-shaped punch which is formed by electrical discharge wire-cut machining. Threads are cut in the punch and the punch is fixed to the punch plate (backing plate) using a bolt so that the punch is retained. The method (c) is an example in which the cross-sectional area of the punch is relatively large. When the cross-sectional area of the punch becomes large, the backing plate is eliminated, and the punch is directly fixed to the punch holder. A method of fixing by bolts is shown here for retaining the punch. See the changes in the shank by comparing the figures (b) and (c). This example is shown here as one in which the method of attaching one component also affects other components and changes them. Fig. 3 is an example of designing the hole in a punch plate.

Figure (a) shows an example of a hole for a square shaped shank. The corner parts become problems in the case of a square shape. Although very often the corners get stuck and the punch does not enter the hole, sometimes due to unawareness of it, the plane surface part is widened thereby ruining the punch plate. In order to prevent this, this is an example in which the corner part is let out thereby making the assembling work easy. The part shown in (a) indicates that, when letting a corner out at a circular arc part, it is good to shift the center of the circular arc towards the inside. Figure (b) is a technique used when driving an odd shaped punch in a hole. There is no need to match the shape of the hole exactly with the shape of the shank, but it is good to design the hole with a simple shape while taking care only about the key parts. #134 Design of Blanking Dies (7) Design of Blanking Dies Category : Shear Forming August10, 2012 A blanking die of the fixed stripper type is shown in Fig. 1. In this lesson, we will be looking at the role of the fixed stripper of this construction.

Fig. 2(a) shows the state after the punch has punched through the material. The "blanked item" passes through the die and falls down. The material in which the punch has penetrated through will be in a state in which it is biting the punch. As is shown in Fig. 2(b), it is necessary for the punch to get detached from the material which is biting it. Generally, the material would be biting the punch relatively strongly. The strength of this biting is said to be about 5% of the punching force. It is necessary to remove the punch from the material efficiently. This is done by the stripper. Fig. 2(c) shows an image of a fixed stripper. Since it is easy to scrape off the material using a fixed part (stripper) through which the punch passes and since it is efficient, this is used frequently in blanking dies.

Fig. 3 shows the required functions for a fixed stripper. Firstly, it requires a hole for the punch to pass through. In general, the hole has a size so that the punch can pass through it easily, and it does not require much accuracy. Below the hole for the punch to pass through, a space is required for the material to pass through. Although it is possible to allow for a large space, it is necessary to restrict the width of the

material so as to suppress its sideward wavering thereby making the operations easy, and to determine the space in the up-down direction again so as to make the operations easy.

With the consideration of these points, some changes become necessary. These will be explained in the next lesson. #135 Design of Blanking Dies (8) and Design of a Fixed Stripper (2) Category : Shear Forming August17, 2012 In the last lesson, we discussed the required functions for a fixed stripper and explained that they had to be as shown in Fig. 1. This shape is a basic shape of a fixed stripper, and as is shown in Fig. 1(a), this shape assumes that the blanks are punched in one row with a fixed width of the material.

In contrast with this, there are times when the blanks are to be punched in two rows from a wide material as is shown in Fig. 2(b). In such cases, as is shown in Fig. 2(c), the stripper can also be made to have a single-side holding shape. Although the strength becomes weaker, since the part that is being processed can be seen, there is the advantage that the operations become easy.

The disadvantage of a fixed stripper is that the part that is being processed cannot be seen because the stripper acts as a cap on it, and hence sometimes the operator may complain of uneasiness about the operations.

In order to eliminate this disadvantage, as is shown in Fig. 3, sometimes the unnecessary parts are removed thereby making the inside visible. In the case of a relatively small stripper, there will not be much of a load even if parts of an integral stripper are cut away.

However, if the stripper becomes large, this becomes a problem. In such cases, as is shown in Fig. 4, the stripper is prepared by separating the parts of the stripper functions from the parts creating the space for the material to pass through. Although the number of parts constituting the die becomes larger, preparing the parts becomes easier.

The decision of whether to form the stripper in one unit or in terms of divided parts should be made considering whether making the machining easy or the cost is important.

#136 Design of Blanking Dies (9) Design of a Fixed Stripper (3) Category : Shear Forming November30, 2012 As shown in Fig. 1, a fixed stripper can be thought of as being composed of two parts, namely a stripper portion and a stock guide portion.

If the stock guide portion is made so that it is easy to insert the stock, the die becomes easy to use in press operations. If the stock guide portion is made a separate part, it is possible to make the stock guide long as shown in Fig. 2, and in addition, to provide a stock receiving plate so that the stock is placed first and then pushed in. If the die is small, there is not much effect on the press operations even if the fixed stripper is prepared integrally with the die, but if the die becomes large, it becomes cumbersome to insert the stock into the die. This is a countermeasure for such situations.

During processing using a coiled stock, once the stock is inserted in the die there will be no problems for some time. In the case of processing stocks of fixed lengths, when the stock is inserted from the front of the die and the processing is carried out towards the deep end, a stock table for supporting the stock is placed at the front of the die so that when both hands are used for operating the press buttons of the press machine, the stock will not slide and fall off when the operator takes his hands off the stock.

Therefore, very often, when about half the length of a fixed length stock has been processed, the stock is withdrawn and inserted and processed again from the other end. If this is not done, it is difficult to carry out the work (and also dangerous). However, it may be difficult to carry out the work because the stock may come above the press buttons of both hands. In view of this, sometimes the processing is carried out by moving the stock in the left - right direction. Even in such operations, the press machine is operated by taking both hands off from the stock and pressing the buttons of the press machine. If the die is prepared without thinking about this, the stock will droop when both hands are taken off it, and it becomes impossible to carry out the work. Fig. 3 shows a measure for carrying out the processing while making the stock move in the left - right direction.

#137 Design of Blanking Dies (10) Design of a Blanking Die Category : Shear Forming December 7, 2012 Figure 1 shows the structure of a standard blanking die. A die is a very important part that creates the shape of the product. The die hole machined in the die (die plate) is prepared with the shape of the product. In the case of a blanking die, the shape obtained after the material passes through the die hole becomes the product.

 One point Explanation: "Die" as a difficult to understand terminology The word "die" is used in various ways. Some of them are the following. 1.Firstly, it is used to represent the entire press forming die set, e.g. blanking die. 2.As is being explained here, the part with a shape that receives the punch is also called a "die". This is the meaning when we say, "the die cutting edge tip is worn". 3.Sometimes a "die" may also refer to the plate that constitutes the above mentioned shape. This is the meaning when we say "grind the die because it has worn", etc. Actually the plate from which a die is constituted ought to be called a "die plate". 4.Apart from these, there is also a word called "insert die". This implies a part that is assembled inside a die plate and constitutes the die shape. Even the word "button die" has a similar meaning. A person who can understand the different meanings of this word "die" can be said to have understood press forming quite well.

Coming back to the main topic, when determining the dimensions of the die, it is necessary to consider the blanking clearance. SeeLesson No. 5in which this blanking clearance has been explained. In a blanking operation, a sideward force acts during blanking. The die plate breaks (cracks) if the distance from the circumference of the die to the outer periphery of the plate becomes small. Fig. 2 gives a guideline for the distance from the circumference of the die to the periphery of the plate.

While the above applies to the planar shape, it is also necessary to consider the cross-sectional shape (the shape as viewed from the thickness direction of the die plate. When the material is passing inside the die, it is good if it does not scrape against the inner surface of the die for too long. As an example, the cross-section of a die becomes as shown in Fig. 3. It is better that about three or four products stay inside the part of the die indicated as "s" and any additional products fall down.

There are several types in the method of preparing the cross-sections of such dies. This has been explained in detail in Lesson No. 6 about the shape of blanking dies. #138 Design of Blanking Dies (11) Design of the Die Holder of a Blanking Die Category : Shear Forming December14, 2012 Fig.1 shows the construction of a standard blanking die. The die holder has the role of supporting the bottom die of a blanking die and becomes a clamp part for fixing the bottom die.

During blanking, a blanking force such as that shown in Fig. 2 acts on the bottom die. Naturally, the entire plate tries to warp in the opposite direction. Although it is not possible to eliminate this warp, a very small warp is desirable. Since eliminating the warp using only the die plate result in the need to use a large amount of an expensive material, which would be wasteful. The warp is made very small by making the die plate have the minimum necessary thickness and backing it up by the die holder.

The die holder is also a part for fixing the bottom die. The methods are shown in Fig. 3. (a) This is the method of fixing using a clamp. In this method, if the height (thickness) of the clamp is standardized, the setting up of the dies becomes easy. (b) This is the method of fixing using a U-shaped groove. There will be the restriction that matching will have to be done with the position of the U-shaped groove of the press machine. The depth of the U-shaped groove should be about 2 to 3 times the bolt diameter.

A product drop hole is also necessary in the die holder. While it is desirable that the drop hole is formed in a simple shape such as a round or a rectangle which is easy to machine, in the case of a die shape having a convex part such as that shown in Fig. 4(a), making the drop hole rectangular can cause the convex part to get broken easily (the shape indicated as "Bad" in Fig. 4(b)). Therefore, a projecting part is provided even in the die holder thereby backing up as shown in the shape indicated as "Good" in Fig. 4(b).

#139 Design of Blanking Dies (12) Key Points of the Design of a Blanking Die with the Fixed Stripper Construction Category : Shear Forming December21, 2012 This is a summary of the key points of the design of a blanking die with the fixed stripper construction. (1) Reasons for using a fixed stripper In the case of a blanking die, the item obtained after passing through the die is the product. Therefore, the material that remains on the die plate is scrap. Since there is no effect on the product even if there is some deformation, it is sufficient to use a construction in which there is no need to keep the material pressed.

(2) Fixed stripper and stock guide The role of a stripper is to pull away the material that has got stuck to the punch. It is useful if the stripper is firmly fixed. The space below the fixed stripper is the space through which the material passes. If a large space is created, the material moves inside the space and it becomes difficult to carry out the blanking operation. If the width and height of this space is restricted to match with the material, it becomes easy to carry out the blanking operation. By doing this, the space below the fixed stripper becomes a space in which the material is guided (= stock guide). It is good to take measures in the stock guide so as to make the press operations easy. (3) The interior of the construction of the fixed stripper cannot be seen When carrying out press operations, it is very uneasy if the working point cannot be seen. This is the drawback of the fixed stripper construction. Let us cut out the uneasiness and try to make the working point visible as far as possible. (4) Mounting the die (die setup) Since a die is used after installing it in the press machine, the punch, die, and the die holder are designed considering the method of mounting. Although a shank is a convenient means for mounting the top die, it can also be dangerous depending on the usage. It is good to consider a small die used in a press machine of about 30 tons or less. (5) Dimensions of the punch and die The blanking clearance has a very important role in blanking operations. This clearance is the gap between the punch and the die. The dimensions of the punch and the die vary depending on the amount of clearance. In blanking operations the die dimensions will be equal to the product dimensions. The punch dimensions will be slightly smaller than the die dimensions. (6) By how much to insert the punch in the die The material is blanked by placing it on the die and pushing in by the punch. Logically speaking, if the bottom surface of the punch reaches the top surface of the punch, the blank should separate from the material and should enter into the die. However, in practice, if the thickness of the material is about 1 mm, the punch is inserted in the die by about 1 mm. The reason for doing this is that, even the press machine extends or shrinks slightly. The frame of the machine extends when the punch comes into contact with the material and starts applying pressure. While extending, it pushes the punch inside the die. As the forming progresses, the necessary blanking force decreases. When a certain limit is exceeded, the extended frame of the press machine suddenly returns to its original position. At this time, it moves beyond the original position. This reduction is called breakthrough. Apart from this, even the various parts of the moving section have their effect. The bottom dead center varies due to such reasons. Therefore, at the time of blanking operations, the punch is made to enter slightly inside the die. #140 Design of Blanking Dies (13) Blanking Dies with Different Constructions

Category : Shear Forming January11, 2013 Regarding blanking dies, we have so far explained the fixed stripper construction taking the example of a very frequently used construction. This is the construction in Fig. 1. This can be said to be the standard type of construction of a blanking die. In this construction, the drawback can be said to be that the part being formed cannot be seen. There is also another point of concern. This is the change in the material while being processed. The material on the die warps due to being hit by the punch. Although this does not matter much in the case of thin plates, this will become a problem in the case of thick plates. As a countermeasure for the part under formation not being visible and for the warping of the material, a blanking die with a movable stripper construction which makes it possible to use a material clamp as shown in Fig. 2 may also be used. In this construction, the part being processed will be visible since the stripper is placed on the punch side.

Since the number of components constituting the die becomes large, the cost of die preparation becomes proportionately higher. The construction as shown in Fig. 3 is also adopted for a blanking die. This type of construction is called the "inverted placement construction". The punch becomes the bottom die and the die becomes the top die. If blanking is done using this construction, since the product enters into the die, it will be necessary to discharge it. For that purpose, a

component called a knock out is always necessary in the die. The reasons for adopting this construction can be, wanting to minimize as far as possible the blanking warp, or when the push back method is used in which the material that has been processed once is pushed back. In the case of a push back, a spring is incorporated behind the knock out.