STAMPING — Hard-Tool Stamping

Metal Stamping

High-speed progressive and transfer die stamping for precision metal components. Our 25T–300T press lines produce brackets, enclosures, shields, and structural parts with excellent part-to-part repeatability. In-house die fabrication shortens tooling lead times and enables rapid iteration during DFM validation.

Overview

Metal stamping forms or cuts sheet metal between a hardened punch and die mounted in a press. Hard tooling makes the process uneconomic for prototypes but unbeatable at volume: once a die is proven, parts come off the press at up to 200 strokes per minute with part-to-part repeatability that no CNC process can match.

At what quantity does stamping beat laser cutting?

The crossover depends on how much of the die cost has to be amortised. For a simple bracket with two bends and a few holes, tooling of $2,000–$5,000 is typically recovered between 1,000 and 2,000 parts. For complex geometries with tight tolerances, the break-even can stretch past 5,000 pieces.

Which stamping method suits my part?

Progressive die is the default for high-volume parts fed as a strip. Transfer die suits large parts that cannot stay attached to a carrier. Compound die does blanking and piercing in one stroke for flat parts. Fine blanking gives a clean, square edge; deep drawing makes cups and shells.

Stamping methods: how to choose

Method	Best for	Typical volume
Progressive die	Small-to-medium parts on a strip	10,000+
Transfer die	Large, deep or complex parts	5,000+
Compound die	Flat parts, blanking + piercing together	10,000+
Fine blanking	Square edges, no secondary machining	5,000+
Deep drawing	Cups, shells, box-shaped parts	5,000+

Common questions about Metal Stamping

How long does stamping tooling take?

Because we design and build dies in-house, a progressive die for a straightforward bracket is typically proven in 3–5 weeks, against 6–10 weeks when tooling is outsourced. Complex multi-station dies take longer, and we give a committed tooling date before you place the order.

Who owns the die after the project?

You do. Tooling paid for by the customer is held, maintained and stored by us for the life of the programme, and it is released to you or to a nominated supplier on request. We do not reuse a customer-funded die for anyone else.

What tolerances can stamping hold?

Progressive die work routinely holds ±0.05 mm on formed features and ±0.01 mm on pierced hole positions, depending on material and feature size. Tighter figures are possible but drive die cost and maintenance frequency, so we agree achievable tolerances during DFM rather than over-specifying on the drawing.