How To Choose The Right Metal Stamping Process For Your Project?

Choosing the wrong metal stamping process can waste time and money. This mistake leads to project delays, budget overruns, and parts that don't meet your essential specifications.

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To choose the right metal stamping process, you must consider your part's complexity, the total quantity needed, and the required precision. For high-volume, high-precision jobs, progressive dies are best. For simpler, low-volume runs, single-station dies are more cost-effective and save on tooling.

Getting this choice right is crucial for your budget and timeline. I have worked with many business owners and procurement officers, like Mark from Canada, who sometimes struggle with this decision. It can be a challenge when you're managing so many other parts of your business. But we can find the perfect fit for your specific needs by breaking the problem down into simple questions. Let's walk through the details together so you can make your next project a success.

What are the 7 steps in the stamping method?

Does the metal stamping process feel like a black box? This confusion can make supplier communication difficult and leave you unsure about your project's status.

The 7 steps of metal stamping are: design engineering, tool and die creation, material selection, stamping operation, secondary operations, finishing, and finally, quality inspection and assembly. Each step is critical for a successful outcome and delivering a part that meets your standards.

Let’s dive deeper into each stage of the process. Understanding these steps helps you know what questions to ask and how to manage your project timeline effectively. It’s what I discuss with my clients every day to ensure we are always on the same page.

A Closer Look at Each Stamping Stage

1. Design & Engineering: This is where it all starts. You provide a 2D or 3D CAD file. Our engineers and I review it. We perform a Design for Manufacturability (DFM) analysis to spot potential issues and suggest improvements that can save you money.
2. Tool & Die Creation: This is the heart of the process. Based on your design, we build the custom tool, or die. This tool will shape your parts. It must be made with extreme precision.
3. Material Selection: We select the raw metal coil or sheet. The choice depends on your needs for strength, weight, and corrosion resistance.
4. Stamping Operation: We feed the metal into the press. The press and die work together to cut, bend, and form the metal into your desired shape.
5. Secondary Operations: Sometimes, a part needs extra features. This can include in-die tapping to create threads, or other processes that happen after the main stamping.
6. Finishing: Here we apply a final surface finish. This could be plating, powder coating, or anodizing to protect the part or improve its look.
7. Quality Inspection & Assembly: Every part is checked. We perform 100% inspection to ensure it meets your tolerances. If needed, we can then assemble the stamped parts with other components.

What is the process of metal stamping?

Do different stamping terms like progressive or fourslide confuse you? Choosing the wrong one can increase costs, lower efficiency, and hurt your project's profitability.

Metal stamping is a process that uses a die to shape a flat metal sheet. Key methods include progressive die stamping for complex, high-volume parts, single-station stamping for simple, low-volume runs, and fourslide stamping for intricate parts with multiple bends.

The most important decision we make with clients is choosing between a progressive die and a single-station die. This choice directly impacts your tooling cost and your price per part. I always guide my clients based on their project's volume and complexity. A smart choice here saves a lot of money. For example, for a client who needs millions of precise terminals, a progressive die is the only way to go. But for a startup needing 500 simple brackets, a single-station die is the better financial choice.

Matching the Process to Your Needs

Here is a simple table to help you understand which process fits your project. I use this to explain the options to my clients.

Process Type Best For Tooling Cost Part Cost Progressive Die High volume, complex parts High Very Low Single-Station Die Low volume, simple parts Low Higher Fourslide Stamping Intricate, bent parts (clips) Medium Medium

A progressive die has a high upfront tooling cost, but it's automated and very fast. This makes the cost per individual part extremely low, which is perfect for large orders. A single-station die is much cheaper to make but requires more labor per part, so it's best for smaller quantities where the initial tooling investment needs to be low.

How to choose the right metal?

Worried about your parts failing due to the wrong material? A bad material choice can lead to product failure in the field, expensive recalls, and damage to your brand’s reputation.

To choose the right metal, consider its strength, corrosion resistance, conductivity, weight, and cost. Steel offers strength at a low price. Aluminum is light and resists rust. Copper and brass are best for electrical parts. Stainless steel gives strength and excellent corrosion resistance.

The material you select is fundamental to your part's performance. I always ask my clients, "What job does this part need to do, and where will it live?" The answer tells us everything we need to know. For an electronic connector, conductivity is key, so we look at brass or copper. For a mounting bracket on a boat, corrosion resistance is the most important factor, so stainless steel is a great choice. We have experience with over 100 materials, so we can always find the perfect match for your application and budget.

Common Metals and Their Applications

Let’s look at some of the most common materials we use in our facility.

Material Key Properties Common Applications Carbon Steel Strong, hard, low cost Brackets, automotive frames, industrial parts Stainless Steel High strength, excellent corrosion resistance Medical and dental tools, food equipment, clips Aluminum Lightweight, resists corrosion, conducts heat Aerospace parts, electronics enclosures, lighting Copper & Brass Excellent electrical conductivity, resists corrosion Terminals, connectors, contacts, shields Titanium Very high strength-to-weight ratio Aerospace and Defense, high-performance parts

How to correctly use metal stamps?

You’ve picked a process and material, but a project can still fail. Poor communication with your supplier is frustrating and leads to missed deadlines and poor-quality parts.

To correctly manage a metal stamping project, provide clear CAD drawings and specify all tolerances, materials, and finishing requirements. Maintain open communication with your supplier, approve first article samples, and establish clear quality control checkpoints throughout the production process.

The best way to "use" metal stamping services is to be a clear and active partner in the process. I've found that the smoothest projects are the ones where communication is constant and requirements are crystal clear from day one. This avoids the terrible pain point I hear about from new clients: waiting weeks or months for an order, only to find out it was made incorrectly. At Worthy, my engineering team and I work hard to prevent this. We create a partnership with you.

Your Checklist for a Successful Stamping Project

Here’s a simple checklist to follow for your next project.

• Provide Detailed Designs: Always send both 2D and 3D CAD files. Make sure to clearly mark all critical dimensions and tolerances. The more specific you are, the better we can make your part.
• Specify Material and Finish: Don't leave things open to interpretation. Name the exact material grade (e.g., Stainless Steel 304) and the finish you need (e.g., zinc plating, Class 1).
• Request a DFM Review: Ask your supplier to review your design for manufacturability. Our four engineers have rich experience helping clients optimize designs to cut costs and improve part function.
• Approve First Samples: Before we start mass production, you should always review and approve a First Article Inspection (FAI) report and physical samples. This ensures we are perfectly aligned.
• Communicate Regularly: Ask for updates. Clear and regular communication prevents surprises and keeps your project on track for a flexible and on-time delivery.

Conclusion

Choosing the right stamping process, material, and communication method is key. This ensures you get high-quality parts on time and on budget for every single one of your projects.

What is metal stamping?

Advanced manufacturing is a game of numbers, and it’s all the same with precision metal stamping. But what is metal stamping?

To put it simply, it involves a thin piece of sheet metal, found in either a blanked or coiled form, fed through a power press machine continuously. Within that machine, there is a tool which consists of multiple sets of punches and dies. These elements come together to cut out and/or form the desired shape.

That is metal stamping in its most simple form, but as you might expect, there is a lot more to it than this. This article will be the complete guide to precision metal stamping, grasping at the generalised processes, Brandauer’s specialities, where we excel and finally, how data capture, a scalable approach to process, Design for Manufacturing (DFM), pivoted learning and collaboration. All lead to a high-value technical stamped component.

Metal stamping buzzwords

Before we get into a more thorough analysis on precision metal stamping. Let’s make sense of the various terminology you may come across when working within this industry:      

What are Brandauer’s specialties?

Metal stamping is a big industry with continued growth expected in the long-term. Brandauer prides itself on excelling in certain key areas of precision metal stamping manufacturing.

Thin-gauge metal stamping

Brandauer believes the smaller, the better! Most of the parts that Brandauer manufacturer fit in the palm of your hand. We specialise in thin-gauge precision stamping (material thickness ranging from 0.1-0.5mm, although we do work up to 2mm thickness), and it’s not easy to achieve.

Let’s take tight tolerances as an example. The smaller and thinner the part, the tighter the tolerances become across all factors. Brandauer has perfected the art of precision, ensuring outstanding quality for all its parts.

Progression stamping

Progressive metal stamping is a subcategory of metal stamping. It requires a tool, punch & die, similar to traditional methods of stamping. The key difference is that, rather than producing the product within a single strike, a strip of sheet metal is fed through the power press, and the part is incrementally created through multiple stages of progression. Progression stamping is perfect for high-volume manufacturing.

Brandauer specialises in creating bespoke processes on the foundation of progression stamping. We always collaborate closely with our customers, aiding in the development of both part design and tooling to ensure maximum productivity for the customer.

Low-volume production and prototyping -> High-volume stamping solutions

At Brandauer, we don’t just specialise in one type of production. We can confidently deliver a superior product for both low-volume and high-volume manufacturing runs.

Our Special Products Division (SPD) is designed to aid in the development of parts and products, not only providing you with precision accurate low volume sample runs, but also assisting you with the development of your product.

We also have WEDM capabilities. Wire Electrical Discharge Machining (WEDM) utilises a fine wire to generate electrical discharges that break down the material. WEDM is perfect when accuracy is a non-negotiable, allowing for intricate shapes that would be extremely difficult to achieve with conventional machining. Our WEDM machines can work within a 1-micron tolerance; that’s 0.cm!

On the other end of the spectrum, our high-volume precision metal stamping processes have been a key element of the business – some of our presses can run up to over 1,400 stamps per minute (SPM). We run everything in-house for our customers, from the tool maintenance to the manufacturing of the part itself, meaning you don’t have to worry about machine maintenance and factory upkeep. Our customers just order the parts, and we will take care of the rest!

Tooling – how does this link to metal stamping?

During this blog post, you will have read a lot about tooling. But what exactly is tooling, and how does it link to metal stamping?

Tooling – or a tool – is a key part of the metal stamping process. It is the element of the press machine that allows the product to me made and is bespoke to each customer and part. Tool design and development is a crucial part to ensure you get the product to the desired specifications. It’s the element that enables manufacturers to mass-produce high quality components at scale.

Without it, you aren’t able to engage with metal stamped components. You can read more about tooling and Brandauer’s capabilities on our tooling blog or webpage.

What are the different types of stamping processes at Brandauer?

Brandauer cover all bases when delivering stamping processes. From low-volume prototyping to high-volume automated manufacturing processes, we cover it all.

But what stage is best for a specific part, volume and manufacturing stage?

Low volume – prototyping stage

Low-volume and prototyping manufacturing is for anyone looking for one-off production runs up to 20,000 ppa (parts per annum). This process includes processes such as laser cut blanks, WEDM blanks, singe stage tooling, or forming through a single-stage morning machine.

This process is a low output/run rate. It lends perfectly to small production runs or parts at the very earliest stage of their development lifecycle.

Generally, low volume piece part costs will be higher, but initial tooling investment will be kept to less than £5,000. Whereas high volume applications will drive the need for a higher initial tool investment (up to £150,000) but much lower piece part costs.

Brandauer’s three-stage tooling standards:

For anything above 20,000 ppa, we begin to look at Brandauer’s three-stage tooling process. These tools change depending on the customers’ requirements, part and volume but overall, this is what you can expect from those stages:

Standard fixed tooling

This is our most basic tooling offering. It comes with:

• Die set precision guidance
• Typically, this tool will use fixed location punches
• A material thickness of > 0.5mm

Precision tooling

This is our next level in tooling, offering greater precision and customisation. It comes with:

• Full length die set (top and bottom bolster) with large precision guidance elements
• Fixed internal elements with individual precision guidance elements
• Punches and dies cut to +/-0.001mm
• Material thickness capabilities of 0.05mm-1.0mm

Fully modular tooling

Our highest level of tool offerings, this offering is perfect for automated manufacturing runs and parts requiring a continuous, high-volume production line. In its most simple form, it’s a tool made up of smaller tools, allowing for customisation and continuous running through general tool maintenance periods. The offering from this solution includes:

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• Full length die set (top and bottom bolster) with large precision guidance elements
• Internal modules with individual precision guidance elements
• Punches and dies cut to +/-0.001mm
• Material thickness capabilities of 0.05mm-1.0mm
• Suitable for ‘in press’ change over
• Reduced changed over time (SMED)

Full automation

The final stage of the stamping processes is a fully automated production line. These are for continuous, high-volume part requirements (circa 1 million+ parts per week). These production lines don’t just include the presses; they include re-reeling, stacking, cleaning, inspection and packing, potentially all in one production line!

Further down this article we delve more in-depth into one of Brandauer’s automated manufacturing lines, how it benefits us and more importantly, the customer!

What are the types of power press machines at Brandauer?

Whilst press machines all have a similar job to do, they all have separate advantages and disadvantages. They can usually be separated into two different categories.

Low volume stamping presses

Single stage fly presses, single stage Hare presses and Seyi presses are all catered towards the low volume/prototyping manufacturing runs. They’re perfect for manufacturing runs up to 20,000 part per annum and are seen mostly within our Special Products Division (SPD). They benefit from handling simple tooling capabilities, meaning a lower setup cost compared to higher-volume presses, but come with lower run rates and output, along with slightly less precision on each stamped part.

High volume and automation stamping presses

Yamada and Bruderer presses are catered to the high-volume, automated manufacturing runs. These presses specialise in high volume, thin gauge precision stamping with very high potential running speeds and high accuracy. Any job above 20,000 ppa is ideal for these presses, but they really showcase their value in manufacturing runs requiring millions of parts a week.

What industries does metal stamping commonly serve?

One of the amazing things about the precision metal stamping industry is there is no dedicated industry. Any company in any industry that requires a small, thin gauge stamped metal part could use precision metal stamping as a solution.

With that being said, here are a list of common industries that precision metal stamping providers (most including Brandauer) are supplying to. The industries below are defined by the industry name and current UK Standard Industry Classification (SIC code).

Is metal stamping right for you?

You’ve heard all about the buzzwords, and the many industries that metal stamping plays a part in. But is metal stamping the right solution for your company? Precision metal stamping offers a vast number of advantages that make it a must-have solution for companies in a wide range of industries requiring thin-gauge, precision stamped components.

Benefits

High precision

Metal stamping is a manufacturing process that holds precision at its very core. It’s a repeatable process that guarantees little to no variation between parts, ensuring peace of mind for the customer. To take this one step further, Brandauer has a dedicated in-house quality team that meticulously inspects parts from every production run to ensure the tightest of tolerances and all customer specifications have been met.

High efficiency

Especially in high volume production runs, metal stamping can be a highly efficient solution. We work with all our customers to create a custom tool that ensures maximum output and efficiency from the press machine. An example of this is stamping multiple components within one strike of the press through dedicated tool designing. This efficiency is the perfect solution for fast manufacturing, whilst still maintaining top quality within every part.

Low cost

After initial setup cost and tooling investment, metal stamping is a highly economical method of production. Using automated manufacturing methods, the cost per part will be dramatically reduced compared to other methods of manufacturing. This enables our customers to always stay competitive within their market.

High volume perfection

As detailed above, metal stamping is perfectly set-up for continuous, high-volume production runs. There are little costs to run the tool once setup is complete, coupling this with a reduction of downtime during the manufacturing process. It lends itself perfectly to high-volume metal stamping production lines.

Versatility in part size and complexity

There really is no part too complex for metal stamping! Metal stamping offers the perfect solution to parts that are tricky to manufacture. With bespoke tooling and design, any part is possible to design and manufacture.

Added value

Metal stamping isn’t just about producing parts; it’s about innovation and collaboration, from the earliest design stages, right through to second or third iterations of a product. We work closely with our customers and various suppliers to optimise their product for performance and cost effectiveness. Our Design for Manufacturing (DFM) service ensures that components are designed to the exact specifications required, along with working closely with individuals on the project to provide innovative solutions that could ultimately better the product/manufacturing processes.

We also provide in-house tooling design, manufacture and development, plus a range of secondary processes such as de-burring, plating, degreasing and cleaning (for medical equipment).

Brandauer works with you from conception to completion.

Things to consider

Setup cost and low volume stamping

When deciding if your component requires metal stamping as a solution, a big contributing factor is setup cost. Precision metal stamping requires bespoke tools and that isn’t a small expense to prepare.

We believe in scaling and managing the profile of this investment. From conceptual advice through to prototyping a one-off, then to a small batch on single stage tooling, and finally a semi-automated solution with a fully automated solution to be added on as volume ramps up to peak levels. This means the spend can be staged whilst proving out each stage of your bespoke design.

People who are looking for small annual quantities or a prototyping solution for their metal parts can refer to other methods such as laser cutting and WEDM. Both of those solutions we offer at Brandauer and are tailored for lower volume manufacturing runs without compromise on precision.

If you are unsure on what the right solution is for you, please get in touch with our expert team, who will advise you on what is the most efficient solution for you is!

Case study: razor blade stamping

Brandauer currently has three fully automated manufacturing lines that create razor blade housing for two big manufacturers. They are a perfect example of Brandauer’s fully modular, automated production lines. So, how did Brandauer come to bring this manufacturing process in-house?

Process

The process begins with a horizontal de-coiler, combined with a levelling head feeding the raw material into the 51 tonne Bruderer press.

After this, a modular tool is stamped down at 300-400 spm (strokes per minute) to create a 36-stage progression strip. After each stamp, more of the razor blade housing becomes clear and after those 36 stamps of the press, the razor blade housing is complete!

After the product emerges from the press, the stamped strip is fed into an ultrasonic cleaning line which cleans and degreases the product to a dyne level of 42, this stage occurs straight after the part is stamped.

Finally, the product is packaged. The reel is fed onto an automatic 4-reel recoiling machine, after each reel is filled, it will automatically traverse onto the next reel, so production downtime and operators labour are minimal. For each reel, two sample strips are automatically cut. One for our dedicated in-house quality control team, and one for the customer to perform their own inspections.

These production lines produce up to 1.4 million parts per line, per week. Brandauer currently has three of these production lines up and running.

Modular tooling capabilities

These projects are a perfect example of our modular tooling capabilities. These production lines have a 4-module tooling system with around 25 adjusters, which enables fine tuning to all the dimensions during production, based on statistical process controls in place.

Why modular tooling?

Modular tools are perfect for continuous, high volume production lines. To put it simply, they ensure minimal downtime during production. They allow flexibility if something was to go wrong. If something within the tool breaks and needs repairing, a modular tool allows part of the tool to be removed as opposed to the entire tool. This drastically reduces time taken to repair, as tools are heavy and extracting the whole tool takes additional time.

Further to this, you can acquire repeats of the same tools within the modular system. This means whilst one is being repaired/serviced, the module can be replaced by a spare section. This means production doesn’t have to halt, leading to considerably less downtime.

Why not manufacture in-house?
One of the biggest questions surrounding these automated manufacturing processes is “why not develop one in-house?”

Whilst yes, it is true that the part cost would be reduced, it is still more cost effective to set up a bespoke production line with a specialist stamping company. Some of the reasons are:

• No factory space required – These production lines take up space, which the customer will need to source, rent, or even purchase. Brandauer already has the space available to set up these production lines.
• Labour cost – A company would have to hire a full team across different professions to fulfil all the required roles needed to maintain a production line. A company would need a press setter/operator, quality control team, tool specialists and more. At Brandauer, we already have skilled team members across all sectors to ensure perfect quality at all stages of production.
• Tool maintenance – A tool may break or require scheduled servicing. You would need a dedicated in-house tool room to ensure the upkeep of your tool, costing you in space and labour. Brandauer covers all this; we have two dedicated toolrooms across two sites with highly skilled professionals populating them.
• Inspection – As discussed, metal stamping requires the tightest of tolerances. After each production run, your metal parts will have to be meticulously inspected, requiring full metrology inspection capabilities. This takes up space, time and labour costs. Brandauer has a fully dedicated quality control room which caters to all inspection requirements.
• Supply chain leverage – Brandauer purchases over 1,000 tonnes of precision strip material from across the globe. It’s taken us over 160 years to develop our knowledge and relationships to ensure we source the best value, quality and delivery times from this specialist supply chain; in-house manufacturers will lose this advantage entirely.

Collaboration is key

One major element that is overlooked in metal stamping is industry collaboration. True success when engaging with metal stamped components comes from collaboration from the customer, manufacturer, suppliers, and partners across the whole supply chain. It creates a better experience for the customer, a better outputted product, and finally a smoother and more streamlined process for both customer and manufacturer.

An example of Brandauer’s collaboration is our development of the plumbing grab ring. Our customers came to us for further development of an existing product we were already manufacturing. After an extended process of re-designing both product and tool, we increased their output from 390ppm to 1,500ppm (parts per minute), adding value for all parties involved.

Other examples of where Brandauer champions collaboration is:

Supply chain collaboration

Brandauer works with companies across the supply chain to enhance a customer’s product. This could be from the materials supplier all the way to finishing and plating companies. Having these strong relationships with other companies allows Brandauer to be a “one stop shop” for all our customers; they don’t have to waste time searching or comparing quotes. We all work together to deliver the best product possible.

Make UK and membership organisations

We are proud members of Make UK, a company that champions growth and innovation for manufactures. We have worked closely with them for many years, so much so that our CEO Rowan Crozier MBE is the Chair of the National Advisory Board. This relationship thrives on driving the manufacturing sector forward and ensuring all customers benefit from this.

Brandauer is also part of other key membership groups, which aid in expanding our knowledge on various industries and bettering our experience for the customer. We are proud members of the CBM Group, MAN Group and so much more.

Single project collaborations and consulting

Brandauer has done multiple projects that champion R&D through grant funding. One current standout project is with Ford Motor Company, who we are working incredibly close with to develop a bespoke stamped motor laminations production line for their future range of EVs.

This collaboration and consulting are a huge part of Brandauer’s mission, providing consulting works to current and new customers to help them develop their products/in-house solutions.

Academic collaboration

Brandauer has always championed young people through the apprenticeship programme – they are the future of engineering after all! It is hugely important to onboard as many young people into the manufacturing industry as possible.

An example of this collaboration outside of our apprenticeship programme is the MAN Group Design and Make Challenge. In , we helped showcase the best of young engineers in a one day, one brief challenge with a number of different outcomes. We are returning in and look forward to aid in building the next generation of engineers!

Conclusion

Precision metal stamping lends itself as a manufacturing solution that combines efficiency, scalability and innovation, but most importantly, accuracy. It doesn’t matter if it’s a low-volume prototyping product for a start-up company, or a complex manufacturing process creating millions of parts a year for an industry leading supplier. If you need a stamped, small metal part, metal stamping is the solution for you!

The benefits are clear – high precision, repeatability, very low costs (after setup fees), efficiency and speed. Further from this though is the collaboration, DFM and innovation across the whole supply chain, which is what really makes precision metal stamping stand out as a solution.

At Brandauer, we make the impossible possible by supplying the little parts that make the big ones work!

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