What is Stamping?

Piercing is a stamping parts process that produces holes in sheet metal for the final product. The final component uses the pierced hole as a means for connecting parts or components.

Piercing Applications

• Fasteners
• Nozzles

Punching uses a similar process as piercing, but the result is where they differ. Punching is a form of stamping parts that uses the punched-out material for the final product.

Punching Applications

• Washers
• Brackets

Plastic forming is a metal stamping parts process identified as a combination of machining processes like welding with stamping. Utilizing other machining processes for stamping—like wire drawing, deep drawing, bending, and riveting—strengthens the stamping parts process and results.

The reason why the word “plastic” is used for this category is because extra machining increases the metal’s plasticity. When conducting plastic forming, two subcategories make for an even more detailed process: hot-plastic forming and cold-plastic forming.

Hot-Plastic Forming

Hot-plastic forming involves integrating heat into the forming. Heating the metal allows for easier expansion and shape plasticity. The temperatures can rise above 900 degrees Celsius for hot stamping.

Hot-Plastic Forming Applications

• Body pillars
• Roof rails
• Rockers
• Bumpers
• Door intrusion beams

Cold-Plastic Forming

Cold-plastic forming is the typical type of forming which does not use heat. Instead, it is simply stamping parts by forming a metal at room temperature.

Fine blanking is the process of using micron-order precision metal stamping to form complex shapes with smooth finishes. This type of stamping is unique in that pressure is pushed from the top and bottom of the material instead of just the top.

Toyota boasts 2.5-kilometer rolled-up steel sheets that are cycled through stamping processes. Because of Toyota’s impressive multi-use machines with 1,600 tons of vertical pressure pushed out in 3 seconds, metal is hardly ever discarded without the machine using every last piece for stamping an automotive component.

Stamping is the backbone of Toyota’s cars. Without metal stamping parts, the vehicles would cease to exist.

Honda credits metal stamping parts for its massive boosts in production across the U.S. and impressive vehicles. In fact, the 2023 Honda Pilot reached an Alabama Auto Plant record for the longest and widest hood because of the stamping aluminum. Excitement for stamping is prevalent at Honda, as they credit all of the sleek new designs to stamped parts.

If you’re in the automotive industry, you’re all too familiar with the precision that comes with metal stamping. Especially with the responsibility of following strict regulations and making parts that easily form a whole part—measuring precisely is crucial. At KEYENCE, we created an automated optical comparator, also known as an Image Dimension Measurement System (IM), that is specialized for small, non-geometric parts that need precise measurements.

At the press of a button, the IM Series will autofocus, auto adjust, and measure up to 300 features simultaneously across 100 parts. Contact KEYENCE today for a free demo!