Page 14 - MetalForming Magazine May 2023

Tooling by Design
By Peter Ulintz
What Does a Tool and Die Maker Do?
Does your company struggle to find qualified candidates for apprenticeship programs? Part of the problem: a lack of interest, or more likely a lack of awareness by high school and vocational school students of apprenticeship opportunities in manufacturing. Those seeking appren- ticeships often choose construction trades instead, leaving many manu- facturing apprenticeships vacant. This proves particularly true with tool and die apprenticeships because most peo- ple have no idea what a tool and die maker does. Our inability to describe to young people the roles, responsi- bilities and opportunities available to tool and die makers contributes to the lack of interest in this field. If you strug- gle to explain the complexities of this trade, here’s some help.
Tool and die makers possess a range of specialized skills, knowledge and experience related to designing, pro- ducing and maintaining the dies, molds, tools and fixtures used to man- ufacture various products.
Die makers serve apprenticeships to learn how to read and interpret tech- nical product drawings, and to gain understanding of the precise dimen- sions and specifications of the parts their dies will make. In addition to
Peter Ulintz has worked in the metal stamping and tool and die industry since 1978. His back- ground includes tool and die making, tool engi- neering, process design, engineering manage- ment and advanced product development. As an educator and technical
presenter, Peter speaks at PMA national seminars, regional roundtables, international conferences, and college and university programs. He also pro- vides onsite training and consultations to the met- alforming industry.
Peter Ulintz
Technical Director, PMA pulintz@pma.org
other specialized skills and knowledge, tool and die makers need access to advanced tools and equipment, such as CAD/CAM software, precision meas- uring instruments, specialized cutting tools and state-of-the-art computer- controlled machinery.
And, many die designers and tooling engineers begin their careers as tool and die apprentices.
Design and Engineering
Designing metal stamping dies involves a series of steps that require careful planning and execution. The first step in designing a die: Define the project scope and requirements. This
by hand or with automation; progres- sive dies that automatically feed coil strip through multiple stations to incre- mentally cut and form the desired part as it remains attached to the coil strip; transfer dies consisting of multiple sin- gle-station dies that automatically feed coil strip or blanks into the die and mechanically transport parts from one die station to the next; or progressive- transfer dies—sometimes called hybrid dies—that combine the benefits of pro- gressive and transfer dies.
With the desired concept in place, CAD software is used to create a detailed design of the die. This may involve the creation of custom punches and dies,
“Tool and die makers must adapt constantly to changes in technology, skill requirements and market conditions to remain relevant and successful in their field.”
as well as other spe- cialized tooling to per- form specific opera- tions. The die must be designed to meet required tolerances and specifications, and manufactured to exacting standards to
includes identifying the type of part to be produced, the material it will be made from, the required tolerances and surface finishes, and any other specifications or constraints that must be controlled during production. This information guides the design process and ensures that the final product meets the required standards.
With the project scope and require- ments defined, the die designer and die maker then develop a process lay- out for the die. They create concept drawings and determine the sequence of operations required to produce the desired part. The concept incorporates a clear understanding of the part geom- etry, tolerances, the number of process steps and the process methodology required to produce the part.
Dies are designed based on one of several processing methods including single-station dies loaded and unloaded
ensure precise, accurate operation.
Construction and Validation
After the design phase comes machining of die components and die assembly. Die makers must understand the properties of different tool-steel materials and select, handle and machine them appropriately to ensure long life and production of high-quality parts. This requires knowledge about metallurgy, heat treatment techniques and surface-finishing methods to ensure creation of durable die components with the required surface characteristics.
The die maker assembles the die to precise clearances and tolerances to ensure accurate and repeatable oper- ation. Die makers must be skilled in using advanced machinery such as CNC machines, EDM machines, and other specialized equipment to man- ufacture parts to exact specifications.
12 MetalForming/May 2023
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