Using the right equipment is a critical aspect of creating effective and efficient metal fabrication assemblies. When you need to transform metal sheets into specific shapes, your production line may rely on stamping dies to do the job. These are precision tools used for cutting and forming sheet metal. They come in a few varieties, and they perform an array of functions. Noble Precision has the means to employ the proper application for the job at hand.   

Metal Stamping Dies Technology

Here are the basic types of dies used for stamping in metal fabrication:

• Progressive: These are utilized for high-volume production, and they are generally appropriate for high-speed operations. They offer an economical and efficient method of getting parts into production.
• Transfer: This type is also used for high-volume manufacturing. Transfer dies are ideal when the parts are medium to large in size, as well as round in shape and deep-drawn.
• Line: Line dies actually come in two types: manually loaded and robotically loaded. They work well for low-volume production, as well as for large parts that cannot be produced efficiently in one press.

Uses for Metal Stamping Dies

Cutting is the most common use for which metal stamping dies are needed. The metal is placed between two sections, and the degree of cutting clearance will depend on the particular operation.

The ways that the tools might be used to cut metal are as follows:   

• Shearing – The metal is sliced in a straight line. Shearing is ideal for blanks that are square or rectangular in shape.
• Trimming – Flat sheet metal is cut at its outer perimeter. Pieces might be trimmed to achieve various desired shapes.
• Notching – Cutting is performed progressively on the exterior section of a metal strip. This serves to create the strip profile necessary for a given project.
• Lancing – Metal is sliced in order to move it without removing it from the strip. This function is typically applied when producing a certain kind of part carrier, known as a flex or stretch web.
• Piercing – This technique is also referred to as perforating, and it involves cutting sheet metal to create a hole in it. The metal slug created from the perforation is discarded as scrap.
• Blanking – Often implemented on a large scale, this cutting process serves two purposes. First, the slug may be retained for further press-working. Blanking may also be performed to cut finished pieces from the sheet metal. When slugs are created during this kind of operation, they are shaped, and they are referred to as blanks. The blanks may subsequently be cut or formed for a different use.

Processes and Technologies Offered by Noble Precision

Regardless of what your manufacturing requirements might be, we are proud to provide you with the right technology to increase your capabilities. Our technicians can assist you in exploring which metal stamping dies might best serve your production process.   

Curious about metal stamping dies technology? Noble Precision can help you find the best solutions. Give us a call at 416-938-6455 or contact us online for more information.

One of the top strategies for cost-efficiency in manufacturing is to create a usable mold. A quality template should yield many parts or components in the production process. Noble Precision implements a variety of processes to create these template products. Two of the most commonly used techniques are plastic blow molding and injection molding. These practices provide virtually endless solutions for manufacturing companies of various types and sizes.

Putting Injection Molding and Blow Molding Technology to Use

By making use of two highly effective technologies, we can create templates that serve your bottom line. Both of these processes involve different sub-categories. The specific technique used will depend on the kind of end product that a company produces. The primary difference between blow molding and injection molding is that the first is used to produce hollow parts, and the latter is used to create solid components.

These are different kinds of blow molding processes:

• Extrusion: When this is performed continuously, a hollow tube or partially shaped mass (known as a parison) is fed into the mold and then cut off after formation. When carried out intermittently, each new tube or mass is only inserted after the previous one has been shaped and expelled.
• Injection: A core rod is utilized to form a parison in the shape of a cylinder. The product is then extruded from the machine.
• Injection Stretch: To implement this process, both of the above are combined. First, the plastic is pre-formed. Then, it is fed into a machine, reheated, and blown with compressed air into a bottle.   

The following are various types of injection molding techniques:

• Thermoplastic Injection: Thermoplastic polymer is employed to create an end product. This material may be transformed into a liquid state, whether it is heated or has already cooled.
• Hot Runner: This requires a manifold, which heats plastic resin that has been melted. This may be done internally or externally.
• Cold Runner: Plastic resin is injected into a mold cavity via a casting feature (called a sprue). This process can be used to decrease waste, but it may increase production time.
• Overmolding: Also known as two-shot molding, this involves covering a substance with an injection mold. Typically, the covering substance (overmold) is a compound with a texture similar to rubber.
• Insert: Multiple components are combined to form a single product. One substance is inserted in the cavity, and then, another substance fills the remainder of the mold to surround the first component. This can lend more strength to the final product, while keeping its weight as low as possible. 

Noble Precision: Providing Effective Manufacturing Solutions

At Noble Precision, we understand the complex needs of the companies we serve. We know that you require solutions that will streamline your processes and maximize efficiency.  Our experienced team can help to determine the best processes for your circumstances. No matter what blow molding technology or injection molding technique we might use, we will ensure that it is the right one for your project. 

Contact us for a no-obligation quote. You can reach a team member at 416-938-6455. Also, please feel free to contact us online. We are always happy to discuss the ways that plastic blow molding and other processes can help your company.

Blow Molding Requires Precision Molds to Assure the Highest Standards of Quality

In the most basic of terms, blow molding is a process used in the manufacturing of hollow plastic parts.  This production method is a successor, in a manner of speaking, to the art of glassblowing, and it has permitted the replacement of heavier and/or breakable glass parts with lighter and more durable items or components.

Regardless of the specific parts or items to be produced, the general blow molding process remains consistent throughout.  It begins by melting the plastic and forming it in a parison (or hollow plastic tube) that has a hole in one end to allow compressed air to pass through.  The parison is placed in the mold and pressurized air is applied through the hole to push or force the melted plastic to take the shape of the mold; once that plastic has cooled and hardened, the mold is opened and the part/component is removed or ejected.

There are in fact three main types or variations of the blow molding process; these include:

Extrusion Blow Molding – this is essentially the general process described above, as it is derived directly from glass blowing techniques.  In this case, a metal blow pin is inserted in the opening of the parison and the melted plastic is forced, or extruded, into the mold using compressed air.  This is considered the simplest method of blow molding; it is also time-effective and cost-effective and hence is commonly used for high-volume production runs.  

Injection Blow Molding – in this method, the parison is formed around a core pin using Injection Molding then the injection mold is opened and the parison is transferred to the blow mold for the production of the part/component using the extrusion process.  Because this practice often has a lower production rate, it is the least-used method of blow molding, often reserved for small medical vials and single-serve bottles.

Injection Stretch Blow Molding – in this particular process, the injection molded parison is stretched before it is transferred to the blow mold.  This allows for the production of parts or items that are more rigid, less porous, and have higher transparency and better impact resistance; it is therefore a favoured method for producing bottles/containers for carbonated beverages.

Blow molding is applied in the manufacture of a wide range of products; a sampling of such items would include containers or bottles for:

In order to produce such vessels, etc., with the volumes, efficiencies, and quality/tolerances demanded by their customer base, manufacturers will need blow molds (and in some cases injection molds too) that are very precise in their design; it would be unfathomable to think that distributors of drinking water or sodas would accept plastic bottles that are malformed and/or prone to leaks or rupture.

Therefore, manufacturers who employ blow molding within their production methods would be well-advised to consult with the precision mold-making experts from Noble Precision as a means of assuring the highest standards of quality for their specific products/outputs.

Precise Blow Molds to Help Manufacturers Attain the Highest Possible Efficiencies

Noble Precision has the capacity to design/produce precise blow molds for the production of parts/components in a wide variety of shapes and sizes.  This expertise is reinforced by Noble Precision’s considerable financial investments in state-of-the-art technology, notably the latest in 5-axis simultaneous CNC machines and CAD/CAM software; this commitment allows their clients to benefit from the most advanced and accurate machining methodology.

The Precision Blow Molds produced by the Noble Precision team can help their clients attain the highest possible manufacturing efficiencies, including:

• Cost savings
• Time savings
• High tolerances
• Waste reduction

For additional information on the Precision Molding services available from Noble Precision, please go to our Mold Making page. 

For precise blow molds to support the high-quality and high-tolerance production of plastic parts or components, call the mold-making specialists at Noble Precision at 647-499-7569 or contact us to schedule a no-obligation consultation.