Sheet Metal Stamping, Thickness Constraints
Sheet Metal Stamping, Thickness Constraints
(OP)
I have a design, which I will be putting out to quote soon, which includes a custom shaped washer made of 304 SS sheet metal. For ease of manufacturing, I'd like to limit the design to that which can be stamped, instead of cut and ground. What is the maximimum practical thickness I can make this washer for it to be stamped in production? I'm currently looking at up to 0.060" thickness. Is this reasonable for stamping?
ChemE, M.E. EIT
"The only constant in life is change." -Dan Andia; 1999, Chemical Engineering Progress





RE: Sheet Metal Stamping, Thickness Constraints
RE: Sheet Metal Stamping, Thickness Constraints
Best regards,
ct
RE: Sheet Metal Stamping, Thickness Constraints
If you decide to "stamp" your washer consider that when blanking holes in parts you generally should stay one material thickness away from the edge of the part. Hole diameters less than one material thickness will pose additional challenges and may require more expensive dies and blanking processes. Your tooling builder or parts fabricator can best advise you on their capabilities.
RE: Sheet Metal Stamping, Thickness Constraints
From a $ point of view, you need to know how many of these you are going to need per month, year, whatever time is reasonable. Then do the math for cost per piece.
From a materials pov, know what you can live with in terms of heat affected zone on the edges if laser cut or work hardening if stamped.
From a design pov, if the design is not set in stone yet, laser will be best for the first few thousand parts. Edge burring and finish enter in here also.
Get out the trusty balance and see which factors weigh in heaviest.
Griffy
RE: Sheet Metal Stamping, Thickness Constraints
ChemE, M.E. EIT
"The only constant in life is change." -Dan Andia; 1999, Chemical Engineering Progress
RE: Sheet Metal Stamping, Thickness Constraints
A design should not dictate a manufacturing method, unless a specific manufacturing method has a negative impact on the function of the design.
In your first post you mention wanting to avoid cutting and grinding, which raises a flag in my head saying this custom washer is a precision washer of some type, then you say you want it stamped.
I would provide enough information on your drawing and request for qoute to satisfy your design requirements (tolerance/surface finish/material/quantity/delivery) and let the vendors quoting the job decide the best method to manufacture the part.
Ray Reynolds
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Popular Mechanics, forecasting the relentless march of science, 1949
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RE: Sheet Metal Stamping, Thickness Constraints
ChemE, M.E. EIT
"The only constant in life is change." -Dan Andia; 1999, Chemical Engineering Progress