A

Age Hardening
An effect on material which has been stored for a long time which may require annealing before being processed any further.

Aluminium Alloy
A pressing material used for good corrosion resistance and reduced component weight.

Annealing
Heat treating a material to return it to its original state.

B

Bar coding
A method of labelling a container of finished components or pressings so that they can be easily identified. The bar code contains information the customer may need regarding the production date, invoice value, date of delivery etc and can be scanned by both the manufacturer and customer.

Bending
A method of manipulating material into shape for the required presswork result.

Blank
The outside shape of a component before it has been stamped or pressed.

Blank formulae
The method of calculating the diameter of a blank ready to form a component.

Blank holder pressure
Pressure applied to the surface of the strip before forming the component to avoid gathering and distortion of the material.

Blank length
The calculation of a pre-determined measurement from a component drawing.

Blanking
A process to create a shape of material from a coil or sheet before stamping or pressing.

Blanking clearance
The clearance between the punch and the die which is necessary when cutting a shape from the material.

Blanking pressure
The tonnage required to create the blank, which is determined by the thickness and hardness of the material being used.

Bulge Forming
A process of manipulating a drawn metal component with fluid or rubber.

C

C Frame press
Open fronted type of press design for presswork.

CAD
Computer Aided Design

CAM
Computer Aided Manufacturing

CAM-action tooling
A method of transferring the power press movement from vertical to horizontal.

CAM-controlled ejection
When the ejection of a component from the press is controlled by a CAM unit.

Clinch Assembly
Method of retaining fasteners and threaded inserts.

Clutch key
Mechanism which drives the press into motion for presswork production.

CMM facility
Co-ordinate Measuring Machine

Coil holder
Device which carries the coil of raw material prior to it being fed into the machine for pressing or stamping.

Coining
Method of embossing a distinctive feature on a component or removing a sharp edge.

Complete Management Systems
Documented quality and environmental management systems to ISO standards.

Compression
The squeezing of two or more surfaces.

Corrosive resistant alloy
A stainless steel which resists rusting and tarnishing.

Counter balance cylinder
A pneumatic cylinder that assists the RAM of a mechanical press

Cropping tool
Used to cut lengths of strip for stamping or pressing purposes.

D

De-coiler & leveller
A piece of equipment which carries the coil that passes through the straightener to remove the set in the coil.

Deep Drawn Components
A cylindrical component which is more than 1.5 times longer than the diameter.

Degreasing
A method of washing lubricant from finished components.

Delivery Performance monitoring
Monitors the on time and quality performance of suppliers to Clamason Industries, and also Clamason Industries’ performance to their customer base.

Dial feed press
An indexable fixture on a power press.

Die
A section of the press tool which is used to form or cut the component to shape – producing presswork to specification.

DIN Standard
European metal standard.

Draw Radius
Calculated by multiplying the gauge of the material by a factor.

Drawing air vents
Usually a small hole in the forming punch to expel air from inside of the component during forming.

E

EDI – Electronic Data Interface
A set of standards for structuring information to be electronically exchanged between and within businesses. The term EDI is also used to refer to the implementation and operation of systems and processes for creating, transmitting, and receiving EDI documents.

Economical use of material
Can be achieved by the interlacing of blanks.

Edge trimming
Method of removing excess metal from a finished component.

F

Flywheel
Stores energy to give a press inertia.

FMEA – Failure Mode Effect Analysis
Activity intended to evaluate potential failures of a process. Focus on Zero defects The procedure in place to analyse the defect levels in the components produced and the processes conducted to reduce them.

Forming force
The tonnage required to produce a component.

Four column high speed press
A precision progression press.

Frame deflection
The distortion of the press frame during forming process.

Friction clutch
Method of driving the flywheel on a power press.

G

Gripper feed
Pneumatic material feeder.

H

Hardness testing
Method of verifying material hardness.

High Volume
Component volumes in excess of 250,000

Hydraulic Overload Systems
Safety mechanism on a press to prevent damage to tooling or press.

I

IMDS – International Material Data System
Automotive product details are entered into this database to declare materials re: ELV (End of Life Vehicles).

Inertia
A force generated by a movement.

Ingot
Form or billet of raw material before the coil has been produced.

L

Laminations
Precision flat metal shaped blanks which are found in electric motors.

Lubrication
Solution which prevents galling, friction and pick up of base material therefore increasing efficiency.

M

Marking tools
A machined punch which embosses a mark onto a component.

Medium Volume
Component volumes between 50,000 and 250,000

Microprocessor control
A computer installed within a press which stores various data including tool references, feeder settings and CAM settings.

Modular Tooling
Tooling which is made up from interchangeable units.

Molybdenum disulphide
A graphite lubricant.

Multi stage pressing
A component which is mechanically transferred down a series of tools

N

Notching
A process for cutting notches into components.

O

Oxidised layer
The first stages of rust.

P

Perforating
A process of piercing small holes onto the surface of a component.

Phosphate
A surface finish to prevent rusting.

Pickling
A method of acid dipping to brighten the surface on brass and copper.

Piercing
Produces holes of various shapes and sizes in a component.

Planishing
The flattening and levelling of a component.

Plunging
A method of extruding an elongated hole from a pre pierced component.

Powder metrology
Powder sintered material which when put into an oven become a solid.

PPAP (Production Part Approval Process) data
Package of information which is required to be supplied to a customer with any new component.

Pressed metal component
A component produced out of flat metal strip.

Progression press
A machine which enables production from a coil of raw material, the component is transferred mechanically through a series of stages to produce a finished component. Material utilisation is less efficient than on a transfer press, but this is offset since operating speed is faster.

Punch
The male part of a press tool which produces a hole in the component.

Punch radius
Calculated by multiplying the gauge of the material by a factor.

R

RAM
The part of the press which the press tool is fixed to and goes up and down.

Re-crystallisation
A result of working material to its limits. The material will then need to be annealed to return it to its original state.

Re-drawing
A process to reduce the diameter of the component.

Reduction ratios
The percentage of reduction relative to blank size or the diameter of the component.

Reverse drawing
The process of drawing a component back on itself.

Reversible Die
A die which has 2 usable faces.

Rigorous process methodologies
A process which combines the use of a capability study and FMEAs to identify any pitfalls which may occur during manufacture.

Robot
Used to move a part on a transfer press line.

Roll feeder
A precision piece of equipment for feeding material through a progression tool

Roller burnishing
A rotating device for finishing close tolerance bores

S

Servo roll feed
A feeder which drives the raw material forward through the tool on a progression press.

Shear pin
A safety device to prevent damage to machinery.

Shear plate
A safety device to prevent damage to machinery.

Shrinkage
The amount of reduction created when a component is ejected from a die.

Side-action tooling
A mechanical method of piercing or forming a profile in to the side of a component.

Single action press
A human controlled single cycle press operated by a mechanical pedal.

Sizing
A method of finishing close tolerance components.

Slug
The waste material from a hole within a component.

Slug ejection
A method of removing pierced slugs

Small volume
Component volumes up to 50,000

Spot welding
A method of electronically fusing two components together

Spring back
A result of forming hard material.

Stagger blanking
A method of optimising material usage from the coil by staggering the blank

SPC
Statistical Process Control

Stiffening ribs
A design feature for strengthening components made from thin material.

Straightener
Removes the coil set which is in coiled material.

Stripper on tooling
A device which ejects the strip/components from tooling

Stud Assembly
A mechanical method of clinching studs into a component.

Surface treatment
A cosmetic or protecting finish by plating or painting.

T

Temper of material
The hardness of material which is usually expressed in Rockwell or Vickers (VPN)

Tensile strength
The strength of a material.

Texture
The cosmetic surface finish of a material.

Thread rolling
The mechanical method of producing a thread without cutting the material.

Threading Cut
A mechanical method of producing threads, both internal and external.

Tool overload
A monitoring device which prevents damage to tooling.

Tool safety device
Infra red and load monitoring sensor which detects any misfeeds of the strip prior to the press coming down in order to prevent any damage.

Tool Safety Systems
Monitoring devices which prevents damage to tooling.

Transfer arms
Mechanical arms which move in 2 – 3 dimensions on a transfer press (can be used with a robot).

Transfer fingers
Mechanical fingers which collect and move the component from one stage to another along the press.

Transfer press
A machine which enables production from a coil of raw material, the component is transferred mechanically through a series of tools by transfer fingers to produce a finished component. Material utilisation is more efficient than on a progression press.

Transmission
A gear drive for a machine.

Tube forming
A machine or tooling for manipulating tube.

Twin Tooling
When there are two operations on one die set. This can also be called tandem

U

U-raise
A Press tool which raises metal components into U shaped brackets.

V

Vibratory feeders
A mechanical unit which feeds components into the tool using vibration.

W

Wall thinning
This occurs during the drawing process of a shell.

Web width
A calculated size which is related to the material thickness.

Welding
A process which fixes steel together using very high temperatures.

Wrinkle formation
Results from having insufficient pressure on the first raise of a shell.

Y

Yield point of material
The point at which a material begins to fracture during the forming process.