| The materials, equipment, and processes used in the | | | | that would be too expensive to make with |
| metal stamping industry have proven to be less | | | | die-casting. They are deeper than they are wide and |
| costly than the original methods of forming metals | | | | known in the industry as deep draws. Deep drawing |
| and alloys into definite shapes. Metal stamping is the | | | | would be done by metal stamping in a facility that |
| method of bending, clipping, and molding sheet metal | | | | does custom work or can set up for such orders. |
| or coil metal by stamping and pressing the material | | | | There are two branches of the industry, defined by |
| into the desired forms. The shaped metal is plated | | | | the presses employed by the particular company. |
| with nickel, tin, or some other metallic elements to | | | | The two sections into which the metal stamping |
| protect it from corrosion. The most commonly used | | | | Industry is segregated are Mechanical and Hydraulic |
| metals are steel, aluminum, zinc, and nickel. They are | | | | Metal Stamping. The force produced by hydraulic |
| low cost, strong, durable, hard to break, portable, | | | | presses is programmed and are best used for doing |
| and non-toxic. | | | | the aforementioned deep drawing because they can |
| The precision machining industry in North America has | | | | apply full tonnage over the complete length of the |
| been on the decline due to two factors: the chronic | | | | stroke. A hydraulic press is powered by a hydraulic |
| inflation in the price of raw materials and the | | | | pump to a cylinder or cylinders that drive the slide |
| transportation of same, and a high level of | | | | down. With the pressure preset, a valve can activate |
| outsourcing to China and India. Outsourcing hasn't | | | | pressure reversal so no overload can occur. With this |
| struck the metal stamping industry as profoundly | | | | press design and its applications, the die tends to |
| thanks to the proximity of the Great Lakes, around | | | | guide the press, so the guiding systems do not have |
| which it is concentrated. | | | | to be as accurate as with a mechanical press that |
| The fire-and-brimstone method of forging is harmful | | | | uses a progressive die. A die is a press tool with |
| to the environment, costly, and hard on the | | | | upper and lower halves that come together under |
| employees. Forming metal this way requires making | | | | pressure to create the shape of the metal. The |
| the steel semi-molten so if the temperature is not | | | | upper member is attached to a slide and the lower |
| estimated correctly (the workers would guess by | | | | one is bolted to the "bed" (also called a "bolster"). |
| experience decades ago) when the forge drops | | | | Mechanical presses use a mechanical flywheel that |
| there are often rejects that have to be set aside, | | | | can stock up the energy needed to deliver the right |
| reheated, reworked, or scrapped altogether, slowing | | | | amount of force for when it's time to punch or |
| production. In a drop forge, the operators' work | | | | pierce the metal. If the production runs call for |
| environment is a smoking furnace and rhythmic dance | | | | shallow drawing and blanking at much higher speed, |
| of the bars of metal shoot in one side and out the | | | | mechanical presses would be used rather than |
| other. Fortunately, there are no ovens or blinding red | | | | hydraulic presses. |
| iron to gaze into when inside a metal stamping | | | | In addition to gap and straight-side presses, the shop |
| factory. Industries that generate large amounts of | | | | would also require press controls and automation, coil |
| environmental waste have largely been outsourced | | | | handling and feeding equipment, safety equipment, |
| to poorer countries. | | | | light curtains, ram block, brake monitors, lifts and tilts, |
| The major products of the Metal Stamping Industry | | | | conveyors, transfer systems, machinery mounts, |
| are things like automotive muffler parts, finer | | | | press mounts, and rotating cam limit switches. The |
| components of larger machinery, equipment and | | | | metal stamping industry is critical to make parts for |
| larger metal structures. A common item like a Teflon | | | | manufacturers - having the right kinds of equipment |
| frying pan would originate from a metal stamping | | | | and knowledge means high production and |
| plant, as would oddly-shaped metal containers with | | | | cost-effectiveness. All of this equipment means that |
| edges and rounded bottoms (difficult forms) that you | | | | you can have a muffler on your car and enjoy a |
| would commonly see in a cafeteria...those deep | | | | drink from a deep-drawn aluminum pop can. |
| fryers made of stainless steel have an unusual shape | | | | |