title = "Metal Stamping and Punching Operations"

content = """
Metal stamping encompasses a family of sheet metal operations performed in presses using dies to cut, form, or join sheet metal into parts. At Ridgecrest Metalworks, stamping operations include blanking, piercing (punching), notching, trimming, and combination progressive die operations that complete multiple operations in a single press stroke.

Blanking cuts a flat shape (blank) from sheet stock. The blank is the desired part; the surrounding skeleton is scrap. In piercing (punching), a hole is created in a sheet; the punched slug is scrap and the sheet is retained. The distinction matters for die clearance: blanking uses slightly less clearance to produce a clean-edged blank, while piercing tolerates more clearance because hole quality is the priority.

Die clearance between the punch and die is critical. For most low-carbon steel, clearance is 5–10% of material thickness per side. Too little clearance causes excessive punch wear and rough cut edges; too much clearance produces excessive rollover and a large burr. The cut surface consists of four zones: rollover (smooth, rounded), burnish zone (bright shear), fracture zone (rough), and burr. A proper balance of these zones indicates correct clearance.

Progressive dies perform multiple operations (pierce, form, coin, trim) in a single die with the sheet advancing one station per stroke. This is highly productive for high-volume parts. Compound dies perform blanking and piercing simultaneously in one station.

Stamping press tonnage must be matched to the job. Required punch force equals the shear strength of the material multiplied by the shear perimeter and material thickness. Operators must not exceed rated press capacity. Stripper plates hold the sheet during punching and strip the punch from the workpiece on the upstroke; stripper force is a significant portion of total press load.

Die maintenance is essential. Punch and die edges must be kept sharp; dull tooling produces excessive burrs and may cause sheet fracture or die breakage. Periodic regrinding of punch and die faces is scheduled based on piece count. Operators inspect stampings for burr height, hole diameter, edge quality, and flatness. Feed stock must be free from surface scale, rust, and excessive oiling that can cause slippage.
"""

version = "0.0.1"
