Deep Drawn Stampings
The process of deep drawn stamping involves the fabrication of a metal sheet into a three-dimensional configuration. In order for a certain metal part to be categorized as a deep drawn stamping, it needs to have a certain set of specifications. For example, the length and depth of the deep drawn stamping must be greater than half of the shape’s diameter.
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Applications of Deep Drawn Stampings
Deep drawn stamping machines, known as presses, are commonly used in the tool and die industry for metal forming processes. They feature a punch and a mold, form, or die that assists in forming flat sheet metal into a specific three-dimensional shape. A die is a press tool used for forming or cutting material within a stamping machine. It is shaped like a cavity that mirrors the desired form of the final product. The most common type of deep drawn press is the hydraulic press. This machine exerts force on an object using hydraulic pressure or fluid pressure.
A multitude of products can be manufactured using shapes made through deep drawn stamping. For example, metal parts, such as connector shells for computer disk drives, can be made for the electronics industry. Oil pans and motor housings for diesel engines can be made for the automotive industry. The food and beverage industry benefits greatly from deep drawn stamped cups and cans. Industrial manufacturing businesses obtain components, such as fasteners, washers, and large equipment enclosures, from the process of deep drawn stamping. Finally, items that are found in homes and are used in everyday life, such as kitchen sinks, are made from deep drawn stamping.
Deep Drawn Stamping Design and Customization
During deep drawn stamping, a variety of forming operations can take place. A specifically shaped hole can be cut out from the drawn part by way of a piercing, extruding, or conventional punch. Alternatively, specifically shaped notches can be cut from certain areas of the component, enabling the part to be connected or attached to another item. Threads can be formed on the component using a die, tap, or a wheel and arbor. Scrap and excess metal can be trimmed from a partially or fully shaped component according to a pre-established trim line. Beads, rips, and flanges are implemented to make an otherwise weak and flexible part more rigid. This increase in rigidity may reduce the required thickness of the material by up to 50%.
Bulging involves expanding the walls of the shape using an internally expanding segmental punch or a punch made of rubber or other elastomers, liquids, semi-liquids, or air. Bulging can be symmetrical or asymmetrical depending on the manufacturer’s requirements. Coining involves the restraint or confinement of all surfaces of the part by squeezing it with an enclosed die. Curling entails forming a rolled edge at the open end of the component. Dimpling involves forming a localized indentation, permitting the head of a part, such as a bolt or rivet, to fasten down flush with the metal’s surface.
In the embossing process, a shallow indent or a raised section is made without any major changes in the thickness of the blank. Extruding, also known as hole flanging, involves either drawing out or turning up a flange around a smaller hole. Ironing is an operation that entails smoothing the surface of a part and reducing the thickness of the walls. Marking adds designs, such as pictures, numbers, or lettering, to the surface of a part. Finally, the necking process can reduce the diameter of a cylindrical shell to a portion of the shape’s length.
Materials Used in Deep Drawn Stampings
The types of sheet metal that are frequently used in the deep drawn stamping process include nickel, zinc, titanium, aluminum, and steel. The thickness of the deep drawn stamping depends on the malleability of the material used. The softer the material, the thicker the stamping can be.
Manufacturing Process of Deep Drawn Stampings
The deep drawn process can generate a variety of shapes, including cup-like, shell-like, rectangular, square, and cylindrical. The process begins with moving the flat metal sheet, or the blank, over the die to be shaped. On both sides of the die cavity’s opening is a component known as a “blankholder,” which holds the blank in place to prevent any shifting while it is formed over the die. The punch is then introduced to the blank, which drives it into the die cavity and, in turn, forms it into the desired configuration.