Specialty Sheet Metal Processes

Combination punch/laser machines represent the ultimate in sheet metal fabrication technology. By integrating punching, forming, tapping, and laser cutting into a single platform, they significantly reduce material handling, setup time, and work-in-process. This streamlined approach not only improves overall efficiency and part accuracy but also enables lights-out manufacturing, automated parts picking (TKL), and better labor utilization. The result is higher productivity, greater flexibility to process a wide range of parts, and lower overall operating costs.

Blanking is a widely used metal forming process in the automotive, aerospace, appliance, and electronics industries for producing parts with precise geometries and high production efficiency. The process involves shearing sheet material using a punch–die assembly under high compressive and shear stresses. Punch sharpness plays a critical role in determining the quality of the sheared edge and overall product quality. Progressive tool wear or rounding of the punch edge can lead to increased burr height, reduced cutting zone, and deterioration of the final part quality.

This study presents an experimental investigation of using acoustic emission (AE) sensors to evaluate punch tool conditions during conventional blanking operations. AE signal peaks were correlated with punch motion and individual shearing stages to identify acoustic characteristics associated with different tool conditions. Results show that sharper punches produce higher and more consistent AE amplitudes, while worn punches generate irregular AE responses and poorer edge quality.

This presentation will examine the technologies of deburring and leveling. In today’s manufacturing environment, the demand for clean edges, improved surface quality, flatter parts, and reduced internal stresses continues to increase.

The session will explore deburring applications, highlighting the quality, safety, and performance improvements that can be achieved. It will then also address leveling technologies and how they create flatter, stress-reduced parts, sheets and plates that improves consistency in downstream operations.

Ultimately, the goal is to provide practical solutions that enhance your processes—delivering better product quality, improved production efficiency, and higher customer satisfaction across a broad range of industries and applications.