Deep Drawn Stainless Steel – Natlmfg.com
Deep drawing is a forming process where a sheet metal blank is progressively formed into a three dimensional shape by the mechanical action of a punch drawing the material into a forming die. This process is considered more efficient than machining because there is significantly less wastage of metal.
The process is considered “deep drawing if the depth of the part produced is more than it’s diameter or width. Deep drawing is achieved in multiple progressive draws. Deep drawing can produce intricate, precise, symmetrical and asymmetrical parts that are usually stronger than the base material used to product them due to the work hardening that happens as part of the drawing process.
National Manufacturing Co., Inc. works with various materials like Cold rolled steel, stainless steel, aluminum, copper, brass, Monel®, titanium, Hastelloy®, Kovar®, nickel, Inconel®, Mumetal®, tantalum and others for producing durable, high-quality deep drawn stampings.
METAL STAMPING PROCESS
Commercial applications of this metal shaping process often involve complex geometries with straight sides and radii. In such a case, the term stamping is used in order to distinguish between the deep drawing (radial tension-tangential compression) and stretch-and-bend (along the straight sides) components. Deep drawing is always accompanied by other forming techniques within the press. These other forming methods include:
Beading: Material is displaced to create a larger, or smaller, diameter ring of material beyond the original body diameter of a part, often used to create O-ring seats.
Bottom Piercing: A round or shaped portion of metal is cut from the drawn part.
Bulging: In the bulging process a portion of the part’s diameter is forced to protrude from the surrounding geometry.
Coining: Material is displaced to form specific shapes in the part. Typically coining should not exceed a depth of 30% of the material thickness.
Curling: Metal is rolled under a curling die to create a rolled edge.
Extruding: After a pilot hole is pierced, a larger diameter punch is pushed through, causing the metal to expand and grow in length.
Ironing / Wall Thinning: Ironing is a process to reduce the wall thickness of parts. Typically ironing should not exceed a depth of 30% of the material thickness.
Necking: A portion of the part is reduced in diameter to less than the major diameter.
Notching: A notch is cut into the open end of the part. This notch can be round, square, or shaped.
Rib Forming: Rib forming involves creating an inward or outward protruding rib during the drawing process.
Side Piercing: Holes are pierced in the side wall of the drawn part. The holes may be round or shaped according to specifications.
Stamping / Marking: This process is typically used to put identification on a part, such as a part number or supplier identification.
Threading: Using a wheel and arbor, threads are formed into a part. In this way threaded parts can be produced within the stamping press.
Trimming: In the Trimming process, excess metal that is necessary to draw the part is cut away from the finished part.
Operations
Bending – the material is deformed or bent along a straight line.
Flanging – the material is bent along a curved line.
Embossing – the material is stretched into a shallow depression. Used primarily for adding decorative patterns. See also Repoussé and chasing.
Blanking – a piece is cut out of a sheet of the material, usually to make a blank for further processing.
Coining – a pattern is compressed or squeezed into the material. Traditionally used to make coins.
Drawing – the surface area of a blank is stretched into an alternate shape via controlled material flow. See also deep drawing.
Stretching – the surface area of a blank is increased by tension, with no inward movement of the blank edge. Often used to make smooth auto body parts. Deep Drawn Stainless Steel
Ironing – the material is squeezed and reduced in thickness along a vertical wall. Used for beverage cans and ammunition cartridge cases.
Reducing/Necking – used to gradually reduce the diameter of the open end of a vessel or tube.
Curling – deforming material into a tubular profile. Door hinges are a common example.
Hemming – folding an edge over onto itself to add thickness. The edges of automobile doors are usually hemmed.