Of the many types of metal stamping operations, cutting is one of the most important functions on the stamping floor. No part can pass through its beginning, middle, or final stages of production without meeting some form of cutting on the way. There are several types of cutting operations used in metal stamping, and with each process, the correct equipment, materials, and engineering intelligence are needed. Thomas Engineering Company provides precision metal stamping in Minneapolis, MN, using the cutting operations necessary to produce high quality, high-integrity metal parts.

Although cutting operations are vital for metal stamping production, they’re also high stress forming methods that place large amounts of force on a subjected metal blank. At TEC we understand the importance of choosing the correct cutting operation for the material used to prevent any complications in production.

Types of Cutting

• Blanking: A primary cutting operation, blanking works to cut usable metal sections from a large sheet.
• Shearing: This is the most standard cutting process in metal stamping. This process serves to cut basic forms from a metal blank.
• Piercing: This cutting operation punctures holes and closed off sections from a blank.
• Notching: Like piercing, notching cuts away small sections of a blank but cuts trim away pieces of the metal around the blank’s edges.
• Perforating: This operation works to pierce a metal blank, creating several punctures simultaneously.
• Lancing: This operation merges shearing and bending of the metal blank into a single operation.

What Happens to Metal When Cut?

While these operations are referred to as “cutting” they more closely resemble an extrusion process. Observing a cutting process with the naked eye will simply look like an immediate breaking apart or slicing of metal pieces. However, if the process is slowed down and examined more closely, the metals will appear to be pushed apart until the break point. The cutting process begins with the cutting punch striking the metal blank with a shock force that stresses the material to stretch apart until shear strength—the highest force a metal can withstand before break—is met. The area of fracture along the path of the cutting shear will not be a cut edge like that made with a saw blade, but will instead be angled with a fractured edge.

The severe stress applied to metal blanks during any given cutting operation can cause some complications if the correct system is not utilized. At Thomas Engineering Company, cutting is an everyday operation during metal stamping parts production. Our engineers have mastered the prevention of all potential complications during cutting.

Of the many operations used at TEC, cutting is just one that adds to our excellence in precision metal stamping in Minneapolis, MN. For more information about our services, contact us at (763) 533-1501 today.