Principles for Choosing Piercing Process with Shear Edge
Introduction
Piercing is a process of producing small holes in material by punching and cutting force and usually plays an important role in the manufacture of mechanical and electronic parts. Generally, piercing for components requires high precision, low burr, fast speed and good surface finish. As the technology is essential for many industries, there is an increasing demand on the pierce quality than before. Due to these demands, workers form the principles for choosing pierce process with shear edge, which offers the greatest flexibility and highest quality of the pierced parts.
Automatic Piercing Process
One of the most popular automatic pierce processes with shear edge is called knockout process. This process is widely used in consumer electronics, medical devices, automotive applications and other precision manufacturing facilities. As the pierce process requires the use of high-speed machinery, the quality of the shear and punch can greatly affect the quality of the ultimately manufactured components.
The knockout process involves a pneumatic or hydraulic actuation system that is directly wired to the cutting and punching tools, which are then contained in the upper and lower turrets. The punching tool runs inside the upper turret, while the cutting tool runs inside the lower turret. Both the upper and lower turrets could be rotated independently in multiple different directions. This automatic process offers greater precision and a more efficient and reliable operation, which can increase the production rate while lowering the operating cost.
Advantages of Punching with Shear Edge
Punching with shear edge offers numerous advantages when compared to traditional CNC machining processes. The process is highly adaptable for a number of shapes and materials, including sheet metal and digital fabrication. Shear edge also minimizes the chances of burrs on the edges of the parts, as the edges are typically cut with a shear which minimizes the chances of material flaring or chipping.
Since the whole process is automated, the set-ups are fast and standard. This further simplifies the cutting process, making it more productive and efficient. As the upper and lower turrets are able to move separately, any offset from the punching die is automatically corrected with shear blade, eliminating the need for manual adjustment. Furthermore, the high-speed linear motion of the cutting and punching tool results in a efficient production rate, allowing more parts to be produced in less time with very few start-up or set-up costs.
Conclusion
Piercing with shear edge is one of the most popular pierce processes due to its highly adaptability and various advantages. The process offers high quality of cuts and takes advantages of automated machinery to reduce the costs associated with traditional CNC machining processes. It also ensures parts are produced with greater precision than manual processes, while having the benefit of speed and accuracy. As a result, it is now being increasingly used in the manufacture of mechanical components and electronics, as well as in other industries. With the growing demand for higher quality and more efficient processes, the principles for choosing piercing process with shear edge are an extremely important factor for any manufacturing facility.
