A Selection Guide for Choosing the Best Punches

Punches have been an important part of the mechanical industry for quite a while now. In addition to chisels and other striking tools, punches are considered to be the oldest tools in the history of manufacturing!

Centuries ago, people used punches to complete various tasks necessary for survival. Tasks such as sculpting stone, carving wood, and preparing clothes would have been impossible without punching tools.

However, in modern times, more advanced punching tools are used for removing bushings and pins, and for cutting steel items. Now, there are several types of punching tools available, and each comes with its own set of specific features.

In this blog post, we’ve compiled a list of the top five punching tools and their uses. Reading this article will help you decide on the one most suitable for your needs.

● Head Type Punches

Head type punches are generally used for removing the protective coating from optical fibers and other materials. Head type punches are compatible with several locking devices; this makes them ideal for different stripping applications.

● Pilot Punches

Pilot punches are used as locating tools in different progressive dies; a press application will cycle the die only if the pilot punch pierces a hole in the station. Designers looking for close tolerance, accuracy, and durability will find the pilot punches more convenient.

● Ball Lock Punches

Ball-lock punches are ideal for processes where quick replacement is needed. However, removing dies from the press is no longer necessary when using a ball lock punch. This type of punch is used with punch retainers.

While several ball lock punches are available, each is used according to the work requirements. A ball lock punch also caters to a wide variety of shapes: rectangular and circular are only a few of the many shapes that a ball lock punch can easily accommodate.

● Taper Punches

Taper punches assist in loosening and tightening driving pins. They also help align the existing holes in more than one workpiece before laying them down for riveting or bolting.

Taper punches are made using high-quality carbon steel that stays hard for a long period of time. The bold black finish and easy grip make it simple to use for vehicle maintenance and repair.

● Aligning Punches

Aligning punches help in aligning more than two holes to ease the use of a fastener. The tapered body shape of the aligning punch makes it easy to gather and align all the holes when inserting the punch.

This punch is not recommended for striking purposes, however; you should avoid using it for driving pins, bolts, or rivets.

At CAV Tools, we offer all kinds of punching tools for our customers in Columbus, OH. Our goal is to help you achieve high-quality manufacturing results by delivering premium custom cutting tools that boost both efficiency and precision. Order customized punches based on your requirements today!

Posted in Cav Tool Blog | No Comments »