The Anatomy and Importance of a Good Press For Metal Stamping in Minneapolis, MN

September 25th, 2015 · No Comments

Most metals used to make high-quality parts are made of extremely hard materials. A great deal of force is needed to cold-form these materials into the products that our customers need. To produce a stable metal stamped part, a good press system is crucial. Without a reliable stamping press, our products would quickly become lower quality, unstable pieces. At Thomas Engineering Company, we emphasize the need for a quality press with our quality metal stamping in Minneapolis, MN.

Presses function as the power behind each die or cutting system. They provide the extreme force needed to shape and cut metal blanks. Today, most presses can range anywhere from 10 to 75 tons in the amount of force applied.

Almost all presses fall into three categories: crank-drive, servo-drive, or hydraulic-drive. Crank-drives use a crankshaft system to push the press onto the bolster plate, stamping the metal between with the die. Servo-drives gather energy from a flywheel or a servomotor. Hydraulic-drive presses use fluid pressure and piston systems to deliver force.

While each press can function at different speed cycles, they all have two basic parts: the ram and the bolster plate. The ram is the moving part of the press that delivers the force to the lower half of the press: the bolster plate. The two die halves are attached to the ram and to the bolster plate. When the ram and plate meet, the force of the press forms or cuts the metal into the specifications determined by the die.

Most presses are adjustable to accommodate different thicknesses of metal blanks. The stroke length is the distance the ram travels before it meets the bolster plate, and the adjustable shut height is the distance between the bottom of the ram and the top of the bolster plate, or, the actual distance available to fit metal blanks between the two parts of the press.

While the shut height can be adjusted, the stroke length is fixed on some presses and adjustable on others. For example, tryout presses act as trial systems to give die builders information on force, adjustability, and potential problems.

A quality, task-appropriate press is vital to producing strong stamped parts. Without a good press, even a perfect die can be rendered useless. Contact Thomas Engineering Company for quality metal stamping in Minneapolis, MN.

Tags: Metal Stamping ·


 

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