How do I calculate tonnage in progressive stamping?

Q: How do I calculate press tonnage in progressive stamping?

A: You have to review the total amount of work being done by the press at each (station) in the die. This must include
the skeleton scrap, parts web carrier, pilot hole punching, pressures, strip lifter pin pressures, nitrogen pressure pads,
driven cams, and final the piercing, drawing, forming, bending, coining, and stenciling stations. Once you
station, you add them together to get the total tonnage needed for the press.
Remember that to size a press, you must do calculations for both tonnage and energy,
can have enough tonnage but not enough energy.

Energy. Remember that to size a press, you must do calculations for both tonnage and because you can have
enough tonnage but not enough energy. Insufficient energy is a
cause of press jams at bottom dead center (BDC).
To get an accurate calculation, you must convert all of the values to the same unit
pounds, and tons). This prepares the data for the second calculation: the required e

Metal Properties. You must know the coil material properties—shear strength and tensile strength square inch (PSI),
the material thickness in inches. When getting into high-speed, h
calculations, the ultimate tensile strength must be known.

Progression Layout. With a part that has 15 or more progressions, I recommend that you have strip layout on paper
that you can color-code and mark the loads at each station. The not missed anything that will create an additional
load. The strip layout also helps you to calculate in the press, which enables you to balance the loads for both the
press and die. Doiper regrind, as well as maximum die life for optimal part quality.
To calculate the balance of the die to the press, you have to take moments about the
die at each station. This will indicate the die's out-of-balance condition. Then, by repositioning the with the press's
centerline, you can improve the die-to-press balance.
It is not uncommon for this to require several pages of calculations and several how
In most press shops I visit, it is a common practice to position the die as close as possible to the incorrect. More often
than not, you can obtain a better press and die balance, as we
the die away from the feed.
Formula for Calculating Blanking and Piercing Tonnage (flat sheet)

Perimeter (in.) X Material Thickness (in.)* X Shear Strength (tons) = Required Tonnage
* This formula factors in the full material thickness to compensate for dull and worn punch and dies. However,
shearing actually takes place partway through the material; therefore, material shear distance is really only a
percentage of the total material thickness. If the punch and die are kept sharp, then the total required tonnage can
be reduced by multiplying by that percentage.
(Material shear distance is the distance from where the punch compresses the material to the point of fracture.
This is visible on the edge of any stamped part).
Loads can be reduced further by putting shear on the punches up to full material thickness or steeping the punches.
But this has to be done in a scientific manner, not by guesswork.
The calculation for drawing is similar to that used for blanking except the ultimate tensile strength of the coil
material is used because the sides of the shell or cup are in tension during the drawing operation.

Formula for Calculating Drawing Tonnage

Perimeter (in.) X Material Thickness (in.)* X Ultimate Tensile Strength (tons) = Required Tonnage
Do not forget to add the blank holder pad pressure which is dependent on material thickness, plus pressure of any
spring strippers, strip lifter pins, nitrogen pressure pads, driven cams, or scrap cutters.
After you calculate the required die tonnage, it is important to determine:
Where in the press stroke the die load (tonnage) is applied from bottom dead center (BDC) of the press
stroke. From this you can calculate the press energy requirement.
1. The distribution of die tonnage over the press bed and slide areas for press deflection. Often small dies are
placed in a very large bed area.
2. The press tonnage rating and deflection is based on the die load being equally distributed over two-thirds of
the press bed area.