Industrial Punching 101

Want to know how ‘punching’ works in the manufacturing industry? You have come to the right place! Punching is one of our specialties at Cav Tool Inc., and you may click here to place a punch manufacturing order in Detroit, Michigan.

Today, we give our readers an overview of what industrial punching is all about. Learning more about the process will help you place accurate punch-making orders, among other benefits.

What is Punching?

To begin with, punching refers to a metalworking process where holes are punched through a workpiece, usually a metal sheet. This is different from ‘blanking,’ a process where a metal sheet or any other workpiece is separated from the primary metal strip or sheet.

Punching can be done by hand or a machine. The latter is, of course, the preferred method as machine punching can create holes in the thickest and hardest of materials.

Why Punch Metal?

Manufacturing companies may perform punching when they want to create holes in metal workpieces. Punching is a popular metalworking process that offers several benefits.

For starters, punching is the most effective method for creating holes in metal workpieces. Moreover, you can get holes punched in any number of shapes by using different die pieces. Not to mention, it is a fast process, and holes are punched with great force and accuracy within seconds.

Punches are used in a wide range of industries, including construction, food, hygiene, and pharmaceuticals. In the past few years, punching has also been gaining relevance in the aerospace and electronics industries to process metal foils.

Another application of punching is waste removal during the manufacturing process.

As you can see, this process has several applications across a wide range of industries.

How Punching Works

The punching tool is made from high-strength material, such as tungsten carbide. Holes are punched by aligning the workpiece between the punching tool and the die. Once the metal workpiece is aligned, the punching tool is pressed upon it and creates a hole of the same shape as the die.

Along with high-strength metal, the punching machine is also powered by hydraulic pressure, which allows for greater punching force. Overall, punching is a simple and effective way of punching holes of any size and shape on metal sheets.

Industrial punching techniques have improved over the years. Previously, punching was only performed by hand with specialist tools. But machine punching is the norm nowadays. In fact, CNC punching machines allow automated punching operations while making the process even more efficient.

Also remember that while punching is mostly performed on metal workpieces, the same process can also be applied to plastic. This is usually done at the final stages of assembly to remove excess plastic from workpieces. You can also perform punching on packing materials, compounds, leather, and metal sheets.

This concludes our overview of industrial punching, and we hope you now have an idea of the process works. Companies in Detroit regularly reach out to us for their punch manufacturing needs. Click here to talk to our punching experts at Cav Tool Inc. 

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