- AGMA (American Gear Manufacturers Association)
- A standards body that publishes gear quality classifications (AGMA 2000-A88, AGMA 925-A03). Fine blanked gears typically achieve AGMA Q8–Q10 quality levels directly off the press, which defines the tooth profile tolerance and surface finish requirements. See our Gear Fine Blanking page for how AGMA standards map to fine blanking capabilities.
- Blanking Force
- The primary cutting force that drives the punch through the sheet material. It is calculated as the material’s shear strength multiplied by the cutting perimeter and sheet thickness. In fine blanking, the blanking force is only one of three hydraulic forces at work — the V-ring and counter-pressure forces are added on top. See Technology for the full force breakdown.
- Burnish Zone
- The smooth, shiny band on a sheared edge produced when the punch pushes through the material under compression before any fracture occurs. Fine blanking maximizes this zone to cover nearly 100% of the material thickness, while conventional stamping produces only a shallow burnish band (30–70%) before fracture begins. The burnish zone is the visible signature of a quality fine blanked edge.
- Burr
- The thin ridge of plastically deformed material left on the die-side edge of a blanked part. In fine blanking, burr height is typically 0.02–0.1 mm and increases as the cutting edge dulls over die life. Burr is removed by deburring and polishing operations for parts requiring a fully finished edge.
- Coil Feed
- The automated system that advances coiled strip material into the die by a precise pitch distance on each press stroke. Fine blanking feed accuracy must reach ±0.02 mm to maintain part-to-part consistency on progressive dies. See our Auxiliary Equipment page for coil feed system specifications.
- Coil Set
- The residual curvature that coiled sheet metal retains after being unrolled, which must be removed by a straightener before the strip reaches the feeder. Unresolved coil set causes feed pitch errors, inconsistent die clearance, and premature die wear. Straightening capacity must match the material thickness and yield strength of the coils being processed.
- Compound Die
- A die configuration where multiple cutting and forming operations happen at a single station in one press stroke — for example, blanking the outer profile and piercing all internal holes simultaneously. Compound dies are used when part geometry requires tight positional relationships between features. See our Die Design page for compound vs. progressive die selection criteria.
- Counter-Pressure
- Force applied from below the slug by a counter-piston during the cutting stroke, holding the part flat and suppressing die-roll. Counter-pressure typically runs at 10–25% of the blanking force, adjusted upward for harder alloys and larger part geometries. Without counter-pressure, thin parts bow and die-roll increases. See Technology for the counter-pressure mechanism.
- Counter-Piston
- The hydraulic actuator in the lower die assembly that delivers counter-pressure to the slug. It also functions as the ejector, pushing the finished part out of the die cavity after the blanking stroke. The counter-piston must maintain parallelism under load to ensure uniform counter-force distribution across the part surface.
- Decoiler
- The equipment at the start of a fine blanking line that holds the coil and unwinds it into the straightener and feeder. Decoilers may be single-mandrel (for lighter coils) or double-mandrel (for continuous production with coil changeover). See our Auxiliary Equipment page for decoiler specifications matched to press tonnage.
- Die Break (Fracture Zone)
- The rough, angled band on a sheared edge where material tore rather than cut cleanly. This is the hallmark of conventional stamping and the primary quality problem that fine blanking eliminates. If die break appears on fine blanked parts, it indicates insufficient V-ring force, excessive die clearance, or material hardness outside the process window.
- Die Clearance
- The gap between the punch and die at the cutting edge. Fine blanking uses near-zero clearance — typically 0.5–1% of sheet thickness, compared to 5–12% in conventional stamping. This near-zero clearance is central to why fine blanking produces a fully smooth edge instead of a fractured one. See our Die Design page for clearance tables by material and thickness.
- Die-Roll
- The rounded deformation at the cut edge on the punch side of the material, caused by material flowing laterally at the start of the cut. Fine blanking minimizes die-roll through V-ring clamping and counter-pressure, typically holding it under 0.1 mm. Excessive die-roll on fine blanked parts suggests insufficient counter-pressure or V-ring force.
- FAI (First Article Inspection)
- The dimensional and visual inspection of the first part produced from a new or reworked die, verifying that all drawing specifications are met before production release. FAI is mandatory in automotive and aerospace supply chains and typically uses CMM measurement of critical dimensions. Unlike PPAP, FAI applies to each new die setup, not just initial qualification.
- Feed Pitch
- The distance the material strip advances per press cycle. Feed pitch repeatability directly affects scrap rate, part-to-part tolerance, and tool life on high-volume progressive die runs. Inconsistent feed pitch causes uneven die wear, irregular burr formation, and potential die damage from mis-positioned material.
- Fine Blanking
- A precision metal cutting process that uses three simultaneously applied hydraulic forces — blanking force, V-ring impingement, and counter-pressure — to produce parts with 100% smooth shear edges, IT7–8 dimensional tolerances, and flatness under 0.05 mm without secondary machining. See our Technology page for the complete process explanation.
- Flatness
- A geometric tolerance specifying the maximum deviation of a surface from a true plane. Fine blanked parts typically achieve flatness under 0.05 mm due to counter-pressure holding the slug flat during cutting. Conventional stamping cannot hold flatness below 0.2 mm because there is no counter-force to prevent warpage.
- Frame Rigidity
- A press frame’s resistance to deflection under cutting load, typically measured as frame deflection per meter of bed width at rated tonnage. Low frame rigidity — common in undersized or worn presses — causes uneven die clearance across the bed, resulting in inconsistent edge quality. See our Buying Guide for frame rigidity requirements by tonnage class.
- Guideway
- The precision linear bearing system that guides the ram (upper die holder) through its stroke, maintaining alignment between punch and die. Four-poster guideways are standard on fine blanking presses because they offer superior parallelism and deflection resistance compared to two-post or gib-guided frames. Guideway condition is a critical inspection point for used presses.
- IT7–8
- The ISO tolerance grade range achieved by fine blanking, corresponding to dimensional deviations of ±0.01–0.02 mm depending on nominal size. IT7 is tighter than IT8. For comparison, conventional stamping achieves IT11–13 (±0.1 mm). The IT7–8 range means fine blanked parts can be assembled directly without secondary machining in most applications.
- Material Utilization
- The percentage of raw coil material that ends up in finished parts versus scrap. Fine blanking typically achieves 60–75% utilization through optimized strip layout and nesting, compared to 40–60% for conventional stamping. Higher utilization directly reduces per-part material cost, which is significant for high-volume automotive production.
- PPAP (Production Part Approval Process)
- A standardized documentation package required by automotive OEMs to verify that a supplier’s production process consistently produces parts meeting all drawing specifications. PPAP includes dimensional results, material certifications, performance testing, and process flow documentation. Fine blanking suppliers must submit PPAP for every new part number before production release.
- Progressive Die
- A die configuration where the strip advances through multiple stations, each performing one operation (piercing, notching, blanking, forming), with the part finished and separated at the final station. Progressive dies maximize throughput but require higher strip material and more complex maintenance. See our Die Design page for progressive vs. compound die selection criteria.
- Ra (Surface Roughness)
- The arithmetic mean roughness of a surface, measured in micrometers (μm). Fine blanked shear edges typically achieve Ra < 0.4 μm — a mirror-quality finish directly off the press. For comparison, conventional stamped fracture surfaces measure Ra 3–12 μm. Ra values below 0.4 μm are common requirements for hydraulic valve plates and precision gear tooth profiles.
- Ram Parallelism
- How consistently the press ram stays parallel to the bed across its full stroke and across the table width. Ram parallelism deviation directly affects part-to-part tolerance because uneven parallelism creates variable die clearance. Fine blanking presses are specified with ram parallelism under 0.03 mm per meter of bed width at rated tonnage.
- Shear Edge
- The cut surface of a fine blanked part, characterized by 100% smooth burnish zone with no fracture band. The shear edge is the defining quality output of fine blanking — it is what eliminates the need for secondary milling, drilling, or finishing operations. Shear edge quality is the primary acceptance criterion for fine blanked parts.
- Slug
- The material piece punched out of the strip during the blanking stroke. In fine blanking, the slug is the finished part (in a blanking die) or the waste material (in a piercing operation). The counter-piston holds the slug flat during cutting and then ejects it from the die cavity after the stroke completes.
- SPM (Strokes Per Minute)
- The press cycle rate — how many blanking strokes the machine completes per minute at a given setting. Fine blanking presses typically run 15–60 SPM depending on material thickness, part complexity, and press tonnage. Higher SPM is achievable for thin materials and simple geometries; thick materials and complex parts require slower, more controlled strokes.
- Stinger
- A pointed punch element used in fine blanking dies to pierce small-diameter holes or create centering features. Stingers are subject to high unit loading and are often the first die components to require regrinding or replacement. Stinger design must account for buckling resistance and material flow around the piercing point.
- Strip Layout
- The engineered sequence and spacing of features across a progressive die’s stations, balancing part geometry, material web strength, feed accuracy, and material utilization. Strip layout is the foundation of progressive die design — a well-designed layout maximizes utilization while maintaining enough web material between parts to prevent strip distortion during feeding.
- Tonnage
- The maximum blanking force a press can deliver, measured in metric tons. HS-FINEB manufactures presses from 200T (HF-200) to 1200T (HF-1200). Tonnage selection depends on the material’s shear strength, cutting perimeter, and sheet thickness. The press must also have sufficient V-ring and counter-pressure capacity, typically 20–50% and 10–25% of blanking tonnage respectively. See our Products page for the full tonnage range.
- Tooling Connector
- The mechanical interface between the die and the press ejector system, configuring how counter-pressure is transmitted from the press counter-piston to the die’s ejector pins. Connector types include standard ejector rod, direct-coupled, and customer-specific configurations. The connector type must match between die and press — mismatched connectors are a common cause of setup delays. See our Die Design page.
- Triple-Action
- The defining characteristic of a fine blanking press: three independently controlled hydraulic force circuits operating simultaneously — blanking force (main punch), V-ring force (impingement ring), and counter-pressure (ejector). Each circuit is programmable as a percentage of total force and independently adjustable during setup. This is what distinguishes a fine blanking press from a conventional stamping press. See Technology for the complete triple-action explanation.
- V-Ring (Blank Holder / Impingement Ring)
- A serrated ring-shaped die element that descends onto the sheet around the die opening, impinging the material to prevent lateral flow during shearing. This is the single most important distinction from conventional stamping — without the V-ring, material flows laterally and fracture replaces clean shear. V-ring force typically runs at 20–50% of blanking force. Double-ring configurations (V-rings on both plate and die) are used for materials above 5 mm thickness. See Technology.
- Work-Hardening
- The metallurgical phenomenon where the shear edge of a fine blanked part becomes harder than the base material due to plastic deformation during cutting. The work-hardened zone typically extends 1–2 mm into the edge and increases hardness by 30–50% over the base material. This is beneficial for functional edges like gear tooth profiles that benefit from higher surface hardness, but must be accounted for in subsequent forming or assembly operations.
