Press Die Special Edition: Die Maker Column - Progressive Die Edition
In the mold shop column, we will continuously share various topics about molds! (We also publish the mold shop column on our company Instagram.)
In the previous column, I introduced that there are mainly three types of press molds, focusing on the single-stage mold. In this column, I will introduce the progressive mold! A progressive mold refers to a type that incorporates multiple processing methods, such as punching, bending, and drawing, into a single mold. This processing method sends the material to the next stage with each press, shaping the product. The material used is typically in a rolled form (coil material) and is automatically fed to the next stage. The advantages include improved production efficiency and stable quality due to automation, as well as the ability to perform more complex processing than single-stage molds since multiple processes can be incorporated. On the other hand, a disadvantage is that the mold design and manufacturing are more complex compared to single-stage molds, making the cost of mold production relatively high. Additionally, there is a possibility of the "boat bottom phenomenon," where a shift occurs at the tip of the product. (I plan to cover the "boat bottom phenomenon" and "shift" in a future column!) Products suitable for progressive molds are those that require mass production or complex processing. In the next column, I will explain the "transfer mold"!
