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How to Create Metal Stamped Parts That Actually Work in Production
Issue 054
As a product design engineer, you’ve likely felt that sinking feeling when late-stage issues unexpectedly pop up. Imagine dedicating weeks to perfect your CAD design, only to discover your metal stamped parts fail at tooling trials—uneven bends, cracked edges, or unpredictable material behaviors. If this scenario sounds painfully familiar, you’re certainly not alone.
These setbacks usually stem from overlooking essential manufacturability details during design. Thankfully, adopting practical Design for Manufacturability (DFM) strategies helps you sidestep costly production surprises.
Here are key, industry-proven DFM techniques to ensure your metal stamped parts move smoothly from your computer to the production floor.
Mind the Bend Reliefs
Think of bend reliefs like hinges on your door—they help parts flex without breaking. In stamping, insufficient bend relief quickly leads to cracks or tears.
Current industry standards recommend bend reliefs equal to or greater than material thickness. While simple, designers frequently overlook this crucial detail. Including sufficient bend relief in your CAD designs greatly reduces risks during production.
Clarify Pierce-to-Edge Distances
Imagine drilling a hole too close to the edge of a wooden plank—too close, and it splinters easily. Metals behave similarly. The general guideline is maintaining a pierce-to-edge distance of at least 1.5 times the material thickness.
However, exact requirements might vary depending on material type and tooling specifics. Always reference your material guidelines or run preliminary simulations to confirm appropriate distances, ensuring structural integrity remains uncompromised.
Maintain Uniform Wall Sections
Uneven wall thicknesses may seem minor in CAD but can cause major problems during stamping. Variations result in unpredictable material flow and uneven stress distribution, leading to defects and waste.
Maintaining consistent wall thicknesses leads to predictable outcomes, helping everyone from toolmakers to stamping operators—and ultimately saves time and money.
Leverage Modern Tooling Simulations
Today’s manufacturers use advanced simulation tools and digital twins to visualize and optimize progressive die operations effectively.
These technologies help anticipate real-world tooling challenges, identify potential issues early, and simplify your designs. Streamlined tooling cuts costs, boosts reliability, and ensures your part is both practical and economical.
Real-World Example
Consider an automotive connector bracket initially designed without proper bend relief or optimized pierce-to-edge spacing. Predictably, early prototypes suffered deformation during stamping trials.
By implementing basic DFM revisions—adjusting bend reliefs, improving edge spacing, and utilizing digital simulation—the issues were resolved. Final stamped parts consistently exceeded quality expectations, significantly cutting production timelines.
Putting DFM Into Action
Applying these practical DFM principles transforms you from a reactive designer to a proactive manufacturing partner. You become the hero who spots potential production pitfalls early, turning designs into manufacturing successes.
Remember these strategies for your next metal stamped component:
Sufficient bend relief
Optimized pierce-to-edge distances
Consistent wall thicknesses
Strategic use of modern tooling simulations
Embedding these fundamentals into your workflow ensures smooth transitions from CAD designs to finished products.
Ready to eliminate costly surprises and elevate your designs?
Let’s start a conversation about your next project and explore practical ways to streamline your stamping processes from initial design to full production.
Gromax Precision Die & Mfg., Inc. specializes in designing and manufacturing precision metal stamped parts and tooling, including progressive stamping dies and custom equipment. With an on-time delivery rate of 99.68% and a defect rate of just 0.066%, the company ensures exceptional reliability and quality.
Gromax is ISO 9001:2015 certified and ITAR registered, serving industries such as medical, defense, aerospace, industrial automation, and automotive with high-quality, innovative solutions.