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STAMPED SMARTER
How integrating tapping, insertion, and coining inside the die streamlines production from day one.
Issue 062
Imagine this: every extra step on your shop floor—secondary tapping, manual pin insertion, downstream coining—feels like a necessary evil. You’re getting precision parts off the press… only to feed them into another machine, or stage them for rework.
If you’re an engineer or operations lead in metal stamping, you know the pain: every added operation adds time, risk, and variability. In today’s world of lean teams and tighter timelines, those extra handoffs can choke throughput.
But what if those steps could happen inside the die?
That’s exactly what’s happening with advanced progressive dies integrating operations like in-die tapping, sensor pin insertion, coining, staking, and more. Instead of moving parts to secondary processes, these value-added features are completed within the die—automatically, every press stroke, perfectly in sync.
🕵️♂️ The Hidden Costs of “Later”
Every time a part leaves the press for additional processing, hidden risks creep in:
✅ Misalignment or tolerance stack-up in secondary ops
✅ Dimensional drift from extra handling
✅ WIP piling up and crowding floorspace
✅ More labor spent supervising manual or semi-automated steps
Even with today’s robotic tapping cells or automated insertion fixtures, more steps mean more variables. And in precision-critical applications, even a small deviation can ripple downstream.
Integrating operations inside the die eliminates that “later.”
🔩 Tapped holes? Threaded inline with servo-driven tapping heads that self-monitor torque and depth.
📏 Pins inserted? Placed with programmable modules and verified by in-die sensors before the next station.
⚙️ Coining? Done inline for shallow features to improve conductivity or flatten critical areas—no extra press required.
It’s not just “saving a step”—it’s tightening process control.
🏭 How Does It Work?
Picture a progressive die as more than just cutting and forming—it’s a compact, synchronized assembly line.
Each station builds on the last:
🔧 In-die tapping → High-speed, servo-controlled heads engage mid-stroke to cut or form threads while maintaining press speed.
📐 In-die pin insertion → Insertion modules place pins, terminals, or sensor contacts into preformed nests, with programmable force settings and inline verification sensors.
🔨 Inline coining → Flattens or hardens local surfaces for conductivity or seal surfaces—ideal for electrical terminals or EMI shields.
Each function is carefully timed and calibrated, syncing with the die’s rhythm to deliver consistency across thousands—or millions—of cycles.
🚀 Why It Matters Now
With reshoring, shorter product lifecycles, and compliance pressures ramping up, manufacturers face a simple challenge:
👉 Do more, with fewer steps, at higher precision.
Bringing more functions inside the die helps:
🟢 Reduces floor space and WIP inventory
🟢 Tightens dimensional control by reducing handling
🟢 Lowers reliance on downstream operations
🟢 Simplifies QC by consolidating work into a single, controlled process
One stamping engineer I spoke with recently summed it up:
“Every time we can finish a part in the die, that’s one less call from assembly asking why something’s off.”
Of course, not every part is a candidate. Material thickness, feature depth, alloy hardness, heat-treat requirements, burr control, or overmolding prep might favor a secondary process. And deeper coining or tight flatness specs may still need post-press operations.
But for high-volume, overmold-ready, or tight-tolerance electromechanical parts?
Bringing more functionality into the die is a growing advantage.
Today’s dies aren’t just forming parts—they’re building functionality, every stroke. And in a world where precision and efficiency are non-negotiable, integrating more steps inside the die might be the smartest tool in your belt.
🕒 Don’t Wait Until It’s a Crisis
If you’re sourcing stamped, molded, or formed parts and haven’t reviewed your tooling agreements lately, now’s the time. A few proactive clauses can save you months of downtime—and hundreds of thousands in rebuild costs.
Let’s make sure your tooling isn’t a hidden liability.
Let's Talk
Are you evaluating in-die tapping, sensor insertion, or other die-integrated operations for an upcoming project? I’d love to hear what challenges you’re solving. Send me a message or comment below!
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.