Perforating is defined as a process of making a hole by removing a slug. During perforating in a stamping operation, a punch shears and breaks a slug out of the part material and then pushes the slug into a matrix (die bushing). The matrix hole is larger than the punch point. A clearance must be maintained constantly around the entire punch point.

During the recent economic downturn, sheet metal stampers, die shops, and some job shops experienced layoffs and some closed their doors. However, a few stampers have remained profitable despite uncertain economic times.

The two main reasons for applying die lubricant are to reduce friction and dissipate heat. Heat can build up between the tool surface and metal, causing the lubricant to break down. This results in metal-to-metal contact and galling.

One way to increase your stamping operation's productivity is to get all the uptime you can from the belt conveyors that carry materials, parts, and finished and packaged products throughout your plant. As moving, wearing equipment, conveyors naturally demand a certain amount of downtime for maintenance and parts replacement. However, keeping those events as infrequent and brief as possible is what uptime is all about.

International Truck and Engine Corporation's Springfield, Ohio, plant recently undertook the challenge of building a high-performance truck with the dimensional tolerances that meet today's quality standards within a cost structure that would allow it to remain competitive. This new product launch was the first of its kind for the company in more than 20 years.