What's new
What's new

Punching vs Machining...Best method for this part?

Tap_or_Die

Cast Iron
Joined
Apr 4, 2014
Location
Oklahoma, USA
I have a production part that my engineer wants to try to make vs buy. The part is a handle for a ball valve, except using 303 stainless. Now I normally dont cry over 303 but this part is just two small operations, small enough that it might be better to punch it out vs machine.

The hole I want to punch is in 12 gage(.105")and it dim. are .309" x .195" with .062" radii in the corners. Hopefully I can punch that with almost no problem. I think it would take a little under 4 tons of pressure with a good sharp die. My only issue is finding a good arbor, or hydro press that's not going to break the bank. The harbor freight ones we have are just to weak.

Yes I could machine it no problem but being short staffed I'd rather take the fastest route. Also the part has to 90 deg bends.

Anyway, I'm open to opinions..

Tap,
 
Laser cut it, tell the engineer to fucking come up with something that makes money! If you take off material cost, im willing to bet you can laser the first 1K+ for less than tooling costs would be!
 
Although a iron-worker might not be speedy enough for big production runs it sure would form and punch your material. Dies are pretty cheap and smaller iron workers aren't terribly expensive.

This idea may not be what you had in mind if you seriously looked at Harbor Freight for a press...argh!:eek::eek:
 
Laser cut it, tell the engineer to fucking come up with something that makes money! If you take off material cost, im willing to bet you can laser the first 1K+ for less than tooling costs would be!

That what I wanted to do in the first place. I've tried for about 2 year to get him to buy a laser....

Although a iron-worker might not be speedy enough for big production runs it sure would form and punch your material. Dies are pretty cheap and smaller iron workers aren't terribly expensive.

This idea may not be what you had in mind if you seriously looked at Harbor Freight for a press...argh!:eek::eek:

I didn't look at harbor freight, the previous supervisors thought cheap tools saved money, I try to buy the best of the best as long as it's not overpriced...Iron worker would be nice to have also. We do more than this part, s.s. angle would be nice to pop holes out on vs drill/interpolate....

Let's talk volume and what will break the bank. Is this oney twosey, hundreds, what?

Tom

We will continue to make these until the end of time. We process around 120 every 2 months,more during peak season. Its more than I want to spend 5 mins a part on.



Tom hit on it need to know quantity.
have you actually found 303 12 ga. stock?
common as dirt in 304, not so much in 303 around here.

Sorry, we would probably get 304 1/8"x5/8"x10' sticks....




It would be really nice to have one die that punched out the hole and broke the part all at once...
 
What you want to do is very feasible. The hole you want to punch is a semi-standard punch and button from a punch houses. But rather than machine the part and then stamp the hole why don't you have a stamping die built to make the whole handle?

If you want to discuss this further I can be reached at [email protected]

Todd
 
I'd second lasercutting. Send it out to be cut from sheet.

Our new 6kW fiber will cut 12ga sst at 900ipm on shop air. My guess is the cycle time would be prettttty short.
 
Does this part have an offset or is it just a flat part? If there is a form to be done then stamp it for sure. If this is a continuous part then I would invest the money into tooling for the die.

Not to Pimp our business here but these are what we specialize in...short run stamping for customers just like you. Low cost lifetime tooling. Laser is definitely an option as well, which we just might have one stashed in the back.
 
We will continue to make these until the end of time. We process around 120 every 2 months,more during peak season. Its more than I want to spend 5 mins a part on.

At first I though a tool made up in a die set and an eccentric press but at those quantity's it is going to work out too pricey for part/tooling cost. I would look at a small jig and just use a custom made punch and die that you can make up or get made up and use a hydraulic press with a power pack motor. But even then the laser way will probably be cheaper in the long run on those small quantity's.
 
Post up a dxf and i will give you a laser cut cost of what it would be over here if that helps?
 
At first I though a tool made up in a die set and an eccentric press but at those quantity's it is going to work out too pricey for part/tooling cost. I would look at a small jig and just use a custom made punch and die that you can make up or get made up and use a hydraulic press with a power pack motor. But even then the laser way will probably be cheaper in the long run on those small quantity's.


I have thought long and hard about making a punch myself. I figured I would explore all options before I put a bunch of time into it. To be honest, I dont think we really need this part, which is why I want to make it as cheap as possible. We had one customer tell(lie to) us, "the "stock" ball valve handle rusted". All ball valve handles rust after a while and not to mention the fact it was in a room that also housed acid.
 
I have thought long and hard about making a punch myself. I figured I would explore all options before I put a bunch of time into it. To be honest, I dont think we really need this part, which is why I want to make it as cheap as possible. We had one customer tell(lie to) us, "the "stock" ball valve handle rusted". All ball valve handles rust after a while and not to mention the fact it was in a room that also housed acid.

That's what SS is for ...

For your quantities:

You should be making those from strip.

Cut to length.

Punch the double-D.

Form in a brake.
 
Engineer here (it really isn't a dirty word) but why spec 303 if you are worried about corrosion? Sure it is easier to machine than 316 but that doesn't seem like a good reason given the known issues with corrosion. Even 316 will corrode in the wrong environment but it is better than 303 and not all that hard to work with.
L
 
That's what SS is for ...

For your quantities:

You should be making those from strip.

Cut to length.

Punch the double-D.

Form in a brake.


Lets bump the quantities to 1000 per run.

The fact the handle rusted is not the problem. A customer said we supplied a handle and 6 months later it was rusted. I know this was not the fact since the handle was not bent and we have been making them for over 2 years. Also, it was one customer, and one ball valve, out of the hundreds of customers and thousand's of valves out in the field. If we had a problem we would know.

Just giving you the back story. I've had this on my desk for over a year, Nobody else has complained.
 
Engineer here (it really isn't a dirty word) but why spec 303 if you are worried about corrosion? Sure it is easier to machine than 316 but that doesn't seem like a good reason given the known issues with corrosion. Even 316 will corrode in the wrong environment but it is better than 303 and not all that hard to work with.
L

Welcome to my world....Its actually 304/304L. 316/316L would be the better material...
 








 
Back
Top