| Steel products are everywhere, from cars to | | | | justifiable, buyers can turn to a process called CNC |
| computers to grills. The process of creating holes in | | | | Punching. Whereas Stamping is designed for high |
| steel to accommodate almost any metallic design can | | | | production runs of ten thousand parts or more, CNC |
| involve several entirely different methods: | | | | Punching is designed to optimize short run costs, |
| One method is called "milling," and in some cases | | | | involving part quantities of ten thousand pieces or |
| "machining," where holes are slowly ground into steel | | | | less. CNC Punching is by far the fastest way to put |
| by a powerful drilling machine not much different than | | | | holes into steel without paying upfront for a punch |
| a hand drill-only on a much larger scale. | | | | and die stamping setup. |
| A much faster method for creating holes in steel is | | | | The term "CNC" means "Computer Numerical |
| called "stamping," which involves a machine called a | | | | Control," which is a system of using computer |
| punch press. A punch press is able to quickly apply | | | | technology to effectively manipulate machines in very |
| ten, twenty, fifty, or five hundred tons (or more) of | | | | precise ways. In the case of CNC Punching, a |
| pressure to a slab of steel. The press uses a | | | | computer code is used to instruct a stamping |
| punch-and-die system, where the "punch" is a | | | | machine (similar to a punch press) to punch holes into |
| protruding element and the "die" is a flat surface with | | | | steel. Whereas the stamping press can create a part |
| various recessed areas for the protruding element to | | | | in a single hit, the CNC punch press creates a part |
| stamp. The protruding element (usually on top) | | | | with multiple hits-very quickly. Usually a turret or |
| smashes into the steel (i.e. it "punches" or "stamps" | | | | tooling storage device feeds the correct punch and |
| the steel) with many tons of pressure, removing a | | | | die into the punching center of the machine. Then, |
| portion of the steel slap called a slug, which usually | | | | the machine receives precise commands from the |
| falls through the recession in the die. The whole | | | | computer in order to punch single holes in the |
| process can take less than a second and a complete | | | | locations specified by the computer program. Many |
| metal part is usually the result. This stamping process | | | | CNC punching machines can punch a hole in half a |
| is by far the fastest way to put holes into metal | | | | second or less. While the creation of the parts takes |
| products. Often, there is a very high cost for | | | | longer, there is no need to wait for an expensive |
| creating a punch and die setup intended for a punch | | | | punch and die system to be made. |
| press, although the rewards of such a system is that | | | | Milling is used in cases where there are either only |
| the cost per piece is significantly less than any other | | | | twenty parts or less (prototypes) or unusually thick |
| method after the setup has been created. | | | | or steel designs that are not appropriate for punching. |
| While a stamping operation is ideal for high production | | | | Stamping is used in cases where there are many |
| runs, sometimes million piece runs are not required | | | | parts to be made. CNC Punching is used to create an |
| and it is therefore not feasible or logical. Without high | | | | intermediate amount of parts. Which method you |
| production, it is usually difficult to justify the cost of | | | | choose will largely depend on how many parts you |
| a stamping setup. | | | | require. |
| When the cost of making a stamping operation is not | | | | |