How Punch And Dies Markers Are Used In Manufacturing

 

Dies are an essential tool used in the manufacturing industry. They work like molds to create objects in custom and often complex shapes. From small fasteners and tool bits to large automotive components and machine parts, dies are used to create a variety of products. So, what is a die exactly, and do manufacturing companies use them?

 What Is a Die?

A die is a pre-shaped tool that works in conjunction with a press to manipulate the material into the desired size and shape. The press forces the material — plastic, metal or composites — into the die’s cavity, thus creating a new object in the same size and shape as the die.

 Dies are usually created for a specific application. Once a die has been created, it can only be used to produce objects in that size and shape. Therefore, manufacturing companies must weigh the cost of a die to determine whether it’s a smart investment.

 Because the skills of both tool making and die making have such an overlap, “tool and die making” is commonly viewed as one field. The tools and dies produced by these machinists help in the manufacturing process of just about everything, such as paper clips, auto parts, blister packaging, and even diapers. 

Listed below are processes in which punch and dies markers are used by manufacturers

 Tool Making

Toolmaking refers to the production of tooling, such as cutting tools, metal forming tools, and fixtures, as well as machine tools that are used to hold, manufacture, or test products during the fabrication process. Tool making often requires building custom tools or modifying standard tools with the use of machine tools, such as lathes, milling machines, grinders, power tools, honing stones, and files, in order to manufacture goods.

 Die Making

A subcategory of tool manufacturing, die making, refers to the manufacture and maintenance of dies. This often includes the manufacture of dies, punches, die sets, and steel rule dies and relies on precision results. For example, dies are an integral part of the production of aluminum extrusions. In the extrusion process, a heated aluminum billet is forced against a die. As a result of the pressure added to the billet, the soft, but solid, metal begins to squeeze through the die opening.

 Machinists, Tool Makers, & Die Makers

Though all tool & die makers are machinists; not all machinists are tool and die makers. Machinists sometimes have titles that reflect a specialization in a specific area, such as tool and die maker. Other types of machinists include: fitter, turning hand, grinder, patternmaker, programmer, and operator, to name a few. These skilled individuals commonly work with tolerances of .010” and sometimes, in specialty jobs, work to achieve tolerances as tight as .0001”. A traditional machinist will use tools, such as mills, lathes, and grinders, to build and/or repair metal parts by milling, drilling, turning, or grinding.

 Raw Materials

Machinists, such as tool & die makers, primarily work with metal. Although plastics, rubber and glass are sometimes utilized, metal is the most common material used. Aluminum, steel, brass and copper rank among the most common metals and alloys used in this trade. 

Dies and punches are an essential tool used in the manufacturing industry. These punching and dies markers makes the manufacturing process very simple at each level of production.