Your die may still have usable material left. The standard die plate can be what stops you from using it. Wilson Tool Grind Life (GL) Dies and Die Plates are designed to extend the usable grind life of TRUMPF-style dies—allowing dies to be ground and shimmed up to 2.5 mm instead of the standard 1.0 mm maximum.
Why Replace a Die Before You Have To?
Every time a die reaches its allowable shim limit, it becomes a replacement decision—even when usable die material remains. Wilson Tool developed the GL system to change that.
Standard Die Setup: Up to 1.0 mm maximum
Wilson Tool GL System: Up to 2.5 mm
Up to 150% More Grind Life. Extend the usable life of your TRUMPF-style dies before replacement becomes necessary.
More Grind Life. Less Retooling.
Longer die life has a straightforward impact on the shop floor: you can keep a tool in service longer before purchasing its replacement.
Wilson Tool GL tooling is designed to help manufacturers:
- Get more usable life from each die
- Reduce unnecessary die replacement
- Lower retooling costs
- Spend less time replacing tooling
- Get more value from existing tooling
The GL system accomplishes this by increasing how much material can be removed and compensated for through shimming while maintaining the geometry needed for the sheet to flow over the die.
It Starts With the GL Die
The radius profile of the Wilson Tool GL Die allows the die to be ground farther while maintaining radius at the top of the die.
With a Standard Die Plate: Up to 1.5 mm / 0.059" of grind life
With a GL Die Plate: Up to 2.5 mm / 0.098" of grind life
Even after additional material is removed, the die retains radius to allow the sheet to flow over the top of the die.
Pair It With the GL Die Plate
Getting more grind life from the die only works if the die plate can accommodate the additional shimming. The Wilson Tool GL Die Plate and Key are designed to allow a GL Die to be shimmed up to 2.5 mm while maintaining key engagement. More usable die life.
Why the Key Matters
As die height changes through grinding and shimming, maintaining secure key engagement is critical to the tooling system. Wilson Tool's GL die plate key is designed to maintain engagement throughout the increased 2.5 mm shimming range. The key is treated with Wilson Tool's Nitrex® surface enhancement for easy identification.
Size 2? There's Another Detail Built In.
The GL Size 2 die plate key includes a spring-loaded ball plunger designed to better secure the die. The Size 2 key is also, available separately and compatible with standard die plates. That means shops can take advantage of the Size 2 key design without necessarily replacing an existing standard die plate.
Small Difference. More Life From Every Die.
The GL concept is intentionally simple. Instead of allowing the die plate and key configuration to determine when a die must be replaced, Wilson Tool redesigned the die profile, die plate and key to accommodate additional grinding and shimming.
Standard maximum: 1.0 mm
GL system: 2.5 mm
That's 1.5 mm of additional usable range, representing up to a 150% increase in grind life.
Built for TRUMPF-Style Punching
GL Dies and Die Plates are part of Wilson Tool's TRUMPF-style punching tooling offering. Whether you're replacing an existing die or looking for ways to increase the useful life of frequently run tooling, a Wilson Tool punching specialist can help determine where GL tooling makes sense in your operation.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a GL Die?
GL stands for grind life. Wilson Tool's GL Die uses a radius profile designed to provide additional grind life while maintaining sufficient radius for the sheet to flow over the top of the die.
How much grind life can a GL Die provide?
A GL Die allows up to 1.5 mm (0.059") of grind life when used with a standard die plate and up to 2.5 mm (0.098") when paired with a Wilson Tool GL Die Plate.
How is that different from a standard die setup?
Wilson Tool identifies 1.0 mm as the standard maximum shimming range. The GL Die and Die Plate system allows dies to be shimmed up to 2.5 mm.
How does the GL Die Plate extend die life?
The GL Die Plate and Key allow the GL Die to be shimmed up to 2.5 mm while still maintaining key engagement, allowing the additional grind life designed into the GL Die to be used.
Can I use a GL Die with a standard die plate?
Yes. The GL Die can provide up to 1.5 mm of grind life with a standard die plate. Pairing it with the GL Die Plate increases the available grind life to as much as 2.5 mm.
What is different about the GL Size 2 key?
The GL Size 2 die plate key contains a spring-loaded ball plunger to better secure the die. It is also available separately and compatible with standard die plates.
Why is the GL key easy to identify?
Wilson Tool treats the key with its Nitrex® surface enhancement for easy identification.