Service life and maintenance of stamping molds: key factors and practical strategies
In the field of stamping, the maintenance cycle of the mold is often affected by the growth of burrs from punching. Therefore, by observing the punching process and setting reasonable punching clearance, we can make a preliminary judgment on the life of the mold. When the punching shape contains sharp corners, the generation of burrs will accelerate due to the potential for knife breakage. To solve this problem, an effective method is to make the sharp corners more blunt.
The choice of mold material is also an important factor affecting the life expectancy. From SKS to SKD, to powder high-speed steel and carbide, with the change of material, the life expectancy of the mold shows a gradual increase trend. Even if the same material is used, the surface roughness of the mold has a significant impact on the life expectancy. Better surface roughness can extend the life expectancy, while different lubrication conditions can also lead to differences. In addition, if the falling method of waste material close to the chip accumulation state’it will have a negative impact on the life expectancy of the mold. The mold frame guiding and the unloading plate guiding (secondary guiding) will also affect the rigidity and dynamic accuracy of the mold.
When evaluating the life of a mold, we need to consider both maintenance life (grinding cycle) and total life. The total life is usually accumulated from multiple maintenance lives. However, for some structural molds, determining the total life is not simple. For example, the overall mold thickness will decrease after each grinding, making it easy to determine its total life. In contrast, insert-type molds are more complex. They can extend their service life by regrinding and adjusting the insert part. When the life expires, only the insert part needs to be replaced. Similarly, when the secondary guide and other components wear out, only the worn parts need to be replaced.
Therefore, in this case, determining the total life requires more careful observation, especially paying attention to the loosening of the insert hole and the deformation of the plate.
For molds that require a longer life, thicker plates and quenching treatments can be used. For molds with short life requirements, thinner quenching plates or installing inserts on unquenched plates can be selected. The choice of secondary guide system can also be adjusted based on life requirements: guide bushings can be used for long life requirements, while the holes on the plate can be directly used as guide posts for smaller production volumes.
There are many types of molds, which are suitable for different scenarios such as small-scale production or mass production. Ensuring mold quality and appropriate lifespan is a challenging task, especially for molds produced in small quantities, which are more difficult to manufacture due to limited production costs.
To sum up, by comprehensively considering factors such as burr growth, material selection, surface roughness, lubrication conditions, waste material feeding methods, and guidance systems, we can more effectively predict and extend the life of stamping molds. These practical strategies help us optimize the maintenance and use costs of the molds while ensuring production quality.
The choice of mold material is also an important factor affecting the life expectancy. From SKS to SKD, to powder high-speed steel and carbide, with the change of material, the life expectancy of the mold shows a gradual increase trend. Even if the same material is used, the surface roughness of the mold has a significant impact on the life expectancy. Better surface roughness can extend the life expectancy, while different lubrication conditions can also lead to differences. In addition, if the falling method of waste material close to the chip accumulation state’it will have a negative impact on the life expectancy of the mold. The mold frame guiding and the unloading plate guiding (secondary guiding) will also affect the rigidity and dynamic accuracy of the mold.
When evaluating the life of a mold, we need to consider both maintenance life (grinding cycle) and total life. The total life is usually accumulated from multiple maintenance lives. However, for some structural molds, determining the total life is not simple. For example, the overall mold thickness will decrease after each grinding, making it easy to determine its total life. In contrast, insert-type molds are more complex. They can extend their service life by regrinding and adjusting the insert part. When the life expires, only the insert part needs to be replaced. Similarly, when the secondary guide and other components wear out, only the worn parts need to be replaced.
Therefore, in this case, determining the total life requires more careful observation, especially paying attention to the loosening of the insert hole and the deformation of the plate.
For molds that require a longer life, thicker plates and quenching treatments can be used. For molds with short life requirements, thinner quenching plates or installing inserts on unquenched plates can be selected. The choice of secondary guide system can also be adjusted based on life requirements: guide bushings can be used for long life requirements, while the holes on the plate can be directly used as guide posts for smaller production volumes.
There are many types of molds, which are suitable for different scenarios such as small-scale production or mass production. Ensuring mold quality and appropriate lifespan is a challenging task, especially for molds produced in small quantities, which are more difficult to manufacture due to limited production costs.
To sum up, by comprehensively considering factors such as burr growth, material selection, surface roughness, lubrication conditions, waste material feeding methods, and guidance systems, we can more effectively predict and extend the life of stamping molds. These practical strategies help us optimize the maintenance and use costs of the molds while ensuring production quality.
