PowerMax™ die used to form 12mm extrusion in 2mm stainless steel to a height of 5mm.

by Frank Baeumler
Vice President - Marketing
Mate Precision Tooling

     Pushing the limits to the max can make the difference between your company and your competition.

     Recently a new die was developed to meet a need that helped a customer select a Finn-Power punch press. The Finn-Power punch press, together with this new product, was able to form a 12mm extrusion into 2mm stainless steel to a height of 5mm. This is an extreme application. The die was developed with a coordinated effort between the Finn-Power and Mate technical staffs. The die is now called the PowerMax™ die.

     Essentially, a PowerMax die is a specialty lower forming die that has been developed expressly for the extreme areas of up forming where traditional stripping forces prove to be insufficient. PowerMax dies enable the Finn-Power punch press to form extrusions and other forms in material thicknesses and or material types not previously possible.

     The forming of an extrusion in the Finn-Power punch press is not unusual nor is it normally difficult. The up forming capability of the press is ideal because the lower tool, the forming die, rests below the die line of the other piercing tools in the turret. This up forming capability makes it easy to make quality forms without damage to the tools or the underside of the sheet metal.

     In this case, the material being formed was a demanding 2mm thick stainless steel. Specifically, the technical challenge that had to be overcome was related to stripping force. The extrusion diameter was 12mm and the height requirement was 5mm. This is an extreme application. The difficulty comes after the form is created and the lower insert is being removed from the newly formed hole inside the extrusion. The stainless steel material is particularly aggressive in the sense that its spring back, or material memory, and subsequent force on the sides of the lower insert are significant. This force is so great that traditional die designs and spring pressures were unable to return the lower insert into the die. Basically, the lower insert would stick, or remain inside the extruded hole unless the return force could be increased to a level where it could be stripped repeatedly with confidence.

Diagram of PowerMax™ die used in extreme forming applications.

     The new PowerMax die became the solution to this condition. The PowerMax uses the space below the lower turret to add a set of disc springs, which produce a significantly higher amount of stripping force. The design requires that the lower assembly (see diagram) be assembled at the machine since there are two main parts; the "die" and the "spring canister ". The die is installed into the forming station normally, that is through the turret gap and into the die holder. The spring canister is attached from the bottom of the turret to the die with a draw bolt. This two-piece design enables greater tool design flexibility and greater stripping force.

     With the PowerMax die, stripping power is increased by a factor of more than 2 (the exact factor is a calculated function of the specific application and could exceed 5 times). With this additional stripping force, thicker materials can be extruded, larger extrusions can be achieved, and more aggressive forming applications can be made with success. More challenging embosses, lance and forms, and even hinges will be possible. And, the capability is already available to Finn-Power punch press owners that have the up forming technology onboard their machines. No new machine hardware or software is required.

     The new PowerMax die is a powerful tool that can produce top quality parts for your customers and profitable problem free hole punching for you and your Finn-Power punch press. Making use of the up forming technology can attract new work for your Finn-Power punch press. These additional capabilities in forming can be the difference between you and your competitor.

For more information, please contact:
Mate Precision Tooling
1295 Lund Boulevard
Anoka, MN 55303
Phone: 800-328-4492
Phone: 763-421-0230
Fax: 800-541-0285
Fax: 763-421-0285
www.matept.com

710 Remington Road
Schaumburg, IL 60173 USA
Phone: (847) 885 3200
Fax: (847) 885 9692
www.finnpower.com

Finn-Power reserves the right to change technical specifications without prior notice.
Finn-Power is a registered trademark.  All other product names identified throughout this publication are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners.

Copyright © 2002 by Finn-Power International, Inc.