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Tooling Smarts
How to cut material waste and improve part flow with better die design.
Issue 056
If you work with high-volume stampings, you already know: material waste adds up fast. But what you may not realize is how often that waste traces back to a poorly optimized strip layout.
Let’s face it—once production is running, we’re focused on keeping the press moving. But when the die strip isn’t working with you, it can quietly chip away at your margins. From extra scrap to premature tool wear, a suboptimal strip layout can be one of your most expensive blind spots.
This quick guide walks you through the core design factors behind efficient strip layouts—and how the right setup can increase yield, improve uptime, and reduce rework across the board.
The Hidden Cost: When Strip Layouts Work Against You
Common red flags include:
+ Coils running out faster than projected
+ Excessive scrap generation
+ Inconsistent part positioning or slugs
+ Higher-than-average tool maintenance
These symptoms often point back to issues in the strip design—specifically in part spacing, web support, feed direction, pilot hole placement, and (often overlooked) coil width selection.
The Core Elements of a Smart Strip Layout
1. Part Spacing: Balance Yield with Support
Yes, tighter spacing reduces scrap. But push it too far and your webs may not support part stability during feed and forming. Today’s best-in-class tooling teams use AI-powered simulation tools to model part loading, deflection, and web performance before a tool is cut.
🧪 Example: In one 8-out layout, reducing part spacing by 2mm improved material yield by 9%—but only after simulation confirmed acceptable web strength. Your mileage may vary.
2. Web Design: Strength in Symmetry
Webs aren’t wasted space—they’re load paths and support structures. Weak or asymmetrical webs can cause parts to shift during feed, creating misalignment or quality defects. Ideal layouts maintain symmetry, uniform load distribution, and allow for consistent strip progression.
3. Pilot Hole Placement: Lock in Precision
Pilot holes are critical for timing and alignment. In 2025, most progressive dies use single or double-pilot systems tied to servo feed control. These systems still rely on accurate hole positioning within robust web zones. Misplaced pilots can cause misfeeds, crashes, or forced downtime.
4. Feed Direction: Don’t Default—Design It
Feed direction impacts everything from part nesting to tool layout. While modern servo feeds offer flexibility, reversing feed direction or rotating parts often requires early-stage design tradeoffs—especially with asymmetrical parts or dies with long strip lengths.
✔️ Always evaluate multiple orientations early using CAD/CAM nesting software. Don’t assume left-to-right is the best path just because it’s familiar.
5. Coil Width Strategy: Think Beyond the Part
Maximizing material yield isn’t just about how parts are spaced—it’s how they fit within the available coil width. Narrow or misaligned layouts can waste inches of material per stroke. Many shops now use predictive nesting tools to determine the optimal coil width before sourcing material.
What Should You Do Next?
Start with a strip layout audit. Look at material utilization across recent jobs. Check where scrap is accumulating. Bring in engineering early and run simulations before finalizing tooling. A few design tweaks today can eliminate years of inefficiency.
Curious how to improve your next strip layout?
Let’s start a conversation! Whether you’re chasing higher yield, smoother feeds, or fewer adjustments at the press, a smart strip design is the foundation of better stamping.
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.