Benefits of Deep Draw Stamping
Machine stamping and pressing have been used for centuries to manufacture parts. Currently, it is the most economical and efficient method for intricate designs. Unlike conventional stamping, Deep drawn stamping allows manufactured parts to be more profound or more prolonged.
The initial cost for tooling can be more expensive. Still, a deep drawn stamping process always provides a faster turnaround, while being cheaper compared to injection molding, fabrication, and machining costs.
What Is Deep Drawing Method?
This type of metal stamping, known as Deep Drawing, has a more significant depth and a smaller diameter. Therefore, allowing the manufacturer to produce cylindrical parts that are narrow and longer than the outer diameter.
A conventional stamping method cannot produce this Deep Draw due to the material’s inability to stretch effectively. That causes the content to become thin and tear, or create thick and uneven walls.
These factors are bypassed in the deep drawing process by forcing the sufficient amount of material to flow in the die, creating the final shape with the desired thickness
Deep Draw Stamping Process
There are many stages to the deep drawing process. The initial stage forces the blank into shape using a larger diameter compared to the width of the final part.
Then, the diameter will gradually be reduced throughout successive stages, increasing the depth. Besides, tooling is often requiring part transfers of some type to allow all the operations to happen in a single press.
With deep-drawn methods, parts can be manufactured to be over ten times deeper compared to the outer diameter.
Tool design is an essential part of the deep-drawn process, and it requires special attention to make sure there will not be an excessive amount of stretching.
Therefore, the first die and punch radii must be calculated carefully. If calculations of die radius are too large, it will wrinkle, too small, and it will prevent the material from flowing correctly.
Each tool must be polished thoroughly to help material flow properly, while high-strength steel should be used at the die entrance.
Clearance between the tool and cup is another critical area that requires close attention to final ratios between the flow, stretch, and hardening. Additionally, press speed is significant as being too low will affect the material’s flow. However, too fast, and it causes cracking.
Deep Drawn Benefits
The deep drawing method has two significant benefits.
- First, the production is limited only by press speed, and volume can be high. Generally, a press can produce over 2,000 parts an hour.
- Second, the final part does not require additional processing. Secondary operations may be conducted with the deep draw tool, including chamfering, notching, piercing, and beading.
Because of these benefits, it keeps the per part costs low, including when calculating in the tooling cost.
Evaluation of Deep Drawn Parts
Parts that are typically considered suitable for the deep drawing process include those that are symmetrical with an oval or circle shape, with the length to diameter ratio being under 10.
Besides, the deep drawn stamping process offers a nearly unlimited range for materials, including aluminum, steels, brass, alloys, even copper.
Because of the natural hardening that occurs, the final part remains light but durable. Meanwhile, manufactured parts can be made to exact tolerance.
The parts that are most suitable for manufacturing by deep-drawing are commonly those that are expensive and difficult to produce with an alternative method.
It’s nice that you pointed out how deep draw metal stamping allows manufactured parts to be more profound or more prolonged. I was looking at metal manufacturing methods online earlier and I remember seeing something about metal stamping. The method seems to have quite significant benefits so I could see why manufacturers use it.