hughestomm
01-27-00, 09:44 AM
Q. WE MAKE BLANKING DIES FOR SHEET METAL. IS IT BETTER TO CUT THE TAPER UP OR DOWN? ALSO, SHOULD THE TAPER BE CUT FIRST OR LAST?
A. If you cut the taper up (wider at the top) you will always be able to pull the slug out of the top. If you cut the taper down, you might not be able to pull the slug out of the top depending on the angle, the thickness of the part and the size of the kerf. If it will not come out of the top, the part thickness must not be thicker than the clearance between the bottom of the part and the bottom of the table or you will not get it out of the bottom either without removing the part from the machne. The danger with cutting the taper up is that most prints are drawn looking at the top of the die, not the bottom, so the part may be cut wrong due to the wrong corner being picked up, etc. Should you cut the taper first or last? I usually cut it first for two reasons. First, I can cut the land faster because I will be cutting only the land thickness and not the entire thickness of the die. The second reason is that depending on the angle and the amount of land, one or more of the land cuts can usually be eliminated.
A. If you cut the taper up (wider at the top) you will always be able to pull the slug out of the top. If you cut the taper down, you might not be able to pull the slug out of the top depending on the angle, the thickness of the part and the size of the kerf. If it will not come out of the top, the part thickness must not be thicker than the clearance between the bottom of the part and the bottom of the table or you will not get it out of the bottom either without removing the part from the machne. The danger with cutting the taper up is that most prints are drawn looking at the top of the die, not the bottom, so the part may be cut wrong due to the wrong corner being picked up, etc. Should you cut the taper first or last? I usually cut it first for two reasons. First, I can cut the land faster because I will be cutting only the land thickness and not the entire thickness of the die. The second reason is that depending on the angle and the amount of land, one or more of the land cuts can usually be eliminated.