Posted by In metal stamping tooling, different metals and alloys are use to make high-performance parts that are accurate and can be made repeatedly. When choosing a metal for a stamped part, you should consider how well it works with the metal stamping process and how it will be used.
Things like the metal’s tensile strength, hardness, elasticity, and ability to be machined will affect how well it can be formed and shaped without losing or breaking its strength. Here, we’ll go over the basics of selecting materials, from what questions to ask to which raw materials work best for stamped metal parts.
How to Choose the Best Metal for Metal Stamping Tooling
Your choice of material for a metal stamping project significantly affects how the project turns out. To make sure you choose the suitable metal for your project, you should ask yourself the following questions:
- How much does the material cost, and will it fit within the budget for your project?
- Is it easy to work with and shape the material into what you want?
- How strong and long-lasting must the material be?
- What kinds of environmental conditions does the material have to be able to handle?
- What should the material do for you in the long run?
- What will customers do with the final product?
Stamping Metals with Copper Alloys
Metal stamping projects benefit greatly from the desirable properties of copper and its alloys like bronze and brass. They are too soft for products that need to be strong and last a long time, but their softness makes it easy to shape them into complicated shapes and very delicate parts. Copper alloys are often used for metal stamping because of their excellent electrical and thermal conductivity and resistance to corrosion.
- Very easy to shape
- Resistant to UV light and high temperatures
- Antimicrobial
- Decorative
Metal Stamping Alloys Made of Steel
Steel is a common material for metal stamping tooling because it is strong and can be used in many ways. Some of the qualities of steel can be enhanced by mixing it with other metals. For added stiffness or reduced susceptibility to rust, steel can be treated either before to or following stamping. Some of the benefits of using steel alloys for metal stamping are:
- Strong (with varying degrees of strength depending on the alloy)
- Cheap and easy to get
- Can be treated to improve some of its properties
- Doesn’t rust
Aluminium Alloys Used to Stamp Metal
Aluminium alloys are used for metal stamping because they are vital for how light they are. It makes them popular in many industries, including the automotive, construction, and aerospace industries. Aluminium alloys are often more expensive than steel alloys, but they don’t rust and last a long time. When it comes to high precision metal stamping, aluminium has the following benefits:
- Electrical and thermal conductivity
- Corrosion resistance
- Flexible and malleable, it can be shaped into complicated shapes without breaking.
- Metal stamping requires fewer raw materials because the finish needs less care and doesn’t rust.
Conclusion
Talking to an expert who knows the properties of each metal can help you choose suitable materials for your metal stamping tooling and save you money and time. A metal stamping team with a lot of experience can walk you through each step of the process and make sure you get the high-quality results you want.