Stamping AHSS Got You Down? Reconsider Your Tool Design

To reduce wear and tool breakage when forming or blanking AHSS material, here are some tips on revisiting the type of tool steel used, the design of the tool itself, and whether or not adding a coating or surface finish will improve performance and provide longer tool life.

7/29/2019

Like most manufacturers, stampers are under continuous pressure to maximize green time and improve productivity. However, as the use of advanced high-strength steel (AHSS) expands to an ever-growing number of industries, many are finding themselves spending more time in the tool room with dies that are in need of repair and no longer producing. The automotive industry was among the first to use AHSS to lightweight certain components, a trend driven by the demand to boost fuel economy without sacrificing safety or performance. With these new materials boasting superior strength and the potential to reduce part weight by up to 25 percent or more, it’s no surprise other industries are following suit and increasingly using AHSS materials in their manufacturing.

Read the full article in Fabricating & Metalworking.

July 29, 2019