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Stamping and metal forming design

CNCFritz

Plastic
Joined
Aug 20, 2007
Location
Mississippi
Hi, my company has given me the opportunity to design a stamping and form progessive die. Does anyone know of good and free design software and any technical books or internet sites where I could look ? thanks fritz
 
Thanks. Last time I went icefishing in Mississippi was 1982. I am from Wisconsin originally and get up there from time to time in the winter to do some walleye fishing. Fritz
 
Hi, my company has given me the opportunity to design a stamping and form progessive die. Does anyone know of good and free design software and any technical books or internet sites where I could look ? thanks fritz

So you work for a place that has given you the "opportunity" to design a stamping and progressive forming die?
And they don't have software that you can use? or somebody to train you on how to do this?

I certainly hope you made this post while on the clock.. I'd rack up as much overtime as I could now before the checks start bouncing.



I
 
There are alot of free ones that are not good.

There are a lot of good ones that are not free.

The machine has as much to do with how you design a die as the part does.

It takes YEARS to understand what works in real world operation..... have you ever repaired dies? built them? ran them?
 
Die stamping isn't rocket science but it's not a casual study either. In another life I built, repaired, and proved out progressive stamping dies for 20+ years. If something goes wrong, depending upon the press tonnage, crushed components can grenade and send shrapnel outbound into innocent bystanders. My critique is not of you, I don't know you, but rather of a company that would be willing to throw you and anybody else in the way of potential harm if you've never done anything like this before. Can we guess the motivation behind such an "opportunity"? You may be a very bright guy Fritz but the kinetic energy behind a multi-ton press can be a truly scary thing and I would urge you to double/triple check clearances, spring compression height, cam travel, interference planes, and shut height before you load anything into a press. If you can post a part drawing maybe some of us can tell you what you're up against. The basic concept of die stamping is fairly simple, shove some metal through/against material to pierce/deform to predetermined shapes. The concept is simple, how it's accomplished is quite another matter. Would you allow someone with little/no experience to program, set-up, and run a CNC mill after giving them a listing of G codes? What could go wrong? Consider this to have at least the same potential for disaster. You've been advised sir.
 
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Die stamping isn't rocket science but it's not a casual study either. In another life I built, repaired, and proved out progressive stamping dies for 20+ years. If something goes wrong, depending upon the press tonnage, crushed components can grenade and send shrapnel outbound into innocent bystanders. My critique is not of you, I don't know you, but rather of a company that would be willing to throw you and anybody else in the way of potential harm if you've never done anything like this before. Can we guess the motivation behind such an "opportunity"? You may be a very bright guy Fritz but the kinetic energy behind a multi-ton press can be a truly scary thing and I would urge you to double/triple check clearances, spring compression height, cam travel, interference planes, and shut height before you load anything into a press. If you can post a part drawing maybe some of us can tell you what you're up against. The basic concept of die stamping is fairly simple, shove some metal through/against material to pierce/deform to predetermined shapes. The concept is simple, how it's accomplished is quite another matter. Would you allow someone with little/no experience to program, set-up, and run a CNC mill after giving them a listing of G codes? What could go wrong? Consider this to have at least the same potential for disaster. You've been advised sir.

And now read it again. ^

I started out in the Industrial side after leaving the firearms world. I served my apprenticeship as a Tool & Die Maker's Apprentice. Spent many, many years making and designing both progressive and fine blanking dies. Please pay heed to the warning AD Design has given.
 
That company does not have the slightest idea of what they are asking of an employee who does not have the slightest idea of what he is being asked to do. Take the advise and get out of that company. To do what they are asking you to do requires years of training, not a computer program.
Take it from someone who spent his life as a Tool and Die Maker. It can not be done by reading a book!!!!
 








 
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