Industry-leading metal presswork expertise

 

Metal presswork explained

Metal presswork is a manufacturing process which involves the manipulation of sheet metal into a required shape in order to create a component. Sheet metal, in the form of coil strip or lengths, is fed into the press either automatically or manually, where a section of the press tool called a die is used to cut a piece out of the material into the required outline.

This outline is called a blank, which is then formed into the component shape. This process can be done in a single operation to produce a simple pressed part, or in multiple stages to produce a more complex component.

Materials to match your presswork requirements

Pressed components can be manufactured from a range of ferrous and non ferrous materials including mild steel, stainless steel, aluminium, copper and brass, depending on your specific requirements and end product application.

There are numerous metal presswork product applications within the automotive, construction, electrical and healthcare markets to name but a few. In fact the possibilities for end product application are practically limitless!

High volume metal pressing

Our plant and processes are optimised for mid – high volume, close tolerance metal presswork manufacture from progression and transfer presses in gauges which range from 0.30mm up to 5mm. Capacity is available for small production runs and presswork manufacture into the millions.

This gives us the ability to fulfil a wide variety of customer requirements extremely efficiently and provides the capacity to meet demanding schedules and volume requirements from customers whose needs are ever-changing.

Pressings with a Transfer Press

A transfer press operates by punching the component blank from the strip of material, before transferring the blank along the production line for further pressing operations.

Our extensive range of transfer presses provides the capacity for high volume, complex presswork component manufacture. The transfer method of metal presswork production can often eliminate the need for costly secondary operations to finish the component, as these can be conducted in the same press as part of the production process. This makes the transfer method of production an extremely cost effective option in many cases.

High speed, larger quantities? We suggest the Progression Press

In a progression press, the strip of material is fed into the tool at the beginning of the process and then progresses through stage by stage. The component remains in the strip until the final operation, when it is released.

This enables the component to be held in place as it goes through the necessary stages until completion.

Although both transfer and progression machines are geared towards the manufacture of high volume, complex presswork, progression presses are generally utilized to manufacture smaller, less intricate metal stampings and can therefore produce components at higher speeds and in larger quantities than transfer presses.

Progression presses also cope well with the manufacture of heavier components where production requires thicker material gauges.

Metal pressing the advantages

A metal pressing can often be stronger and more cost effective to produce than a component manufactured by alternative methods.

HT Brigham engineers are frequently heavily involved with customer projects from the initial stages, where it can become apparent that design improvements and savings can be made by switching from more costly methods of manufacture, such as casting or plastic injection moulding, to the presswork method.

By changing the manufacturing route we can significantly reduce the component cost for you.