How can you design for stamping in CAD/CAM?

One of my favorite subjects, as I come from a CAD/CAM background. Everyone talks about material selection and strengthening techniques like ribs, but very few know stamping techniques. Metal can be moved in stamping. If you can only put the metal where you need the strength, you can take cost out and maintain performance. Thin material with reinforcements is certainly valid, but more costly. A good CAD/CAM dept. can save so much money.

Beautiful however the toolroom either receives a sample part or a CAD drawing specifying the materials and the geometry. We do not design the part. We then through reversed engineering design a tool to manufacture the sample part. Once designed the tool drawing is checked and okayed by senior personel and manufacturing of the tool comences. Once finished the tool goes through trial run. Here a few parts are made, the client is called in to inspect and okay the samples. If good then the tool is taken to the run press line there a few part are made again and the final sign-off of the tool is done by the client. The sample first signed by the client is kept as a master sample.

The final step in designing for stamping is to simulate your stamping process. Simulation can help you evaluate and improve your part quality, die performance, and production efficiency. Simulation can also help you identify and prevent potential problems such as defects, failures, or damages in your part or die. CAD/CAM software can help you simulate your stamping process by providing tools and features that can model, analyze, and visualize your stamping process. You can use CAD/CAM software to apply loads, boundary conditions, and material properties to your part and die models. You can also use CAD/CAM software to perform various types of analysis such as stress, strain, deformation, fracture, and fatigue.

The stamping die needs to be designed so it does not require more force than available in the press that operates it. Determining the force vs stroke required for producing complicate stamped parts with deep protusions, intricate cuts and bends with a stamping die can be a difficult task to be performed by hand. This is why simulation of the stamping process is so important for getting it right first time and avoid stalling or even seizing a press!!! Simulation analysts need to have experience in what they are doing. Knowing how to use the software is not enough. Wrong load estimations can damage a very expensive press. Look for both, qualified + experienced personnel, learning how to use the software is the easy part.

Ensure you know the press and feeder that will be used to operate the stamping die: -Type of press -Travel/stroke vs force curve -Force -Light span -Table size -Feeder stroke and max width+thickness You need to know the press line characteristics and capacity before start the stamped part design and design it accordingly.