How to Effectively Maintain Your Cutting Die?

October 11, 2021

Manufacturing industries use a lot of tools to ensure that they can generate numerous products during their operations. One of the tools that they utilise is the cutting die.

A cutting die, or simply a die, is a machine tool that can cut or form workpieces into a specific profile or shape. The form factor and appearance of the die is typically customised so that it can effectively create products with its accompanying shape. Most cutting dies are made from durable and long-lasting metals, ensuring that they can carry out the fabrication or machining processes without any issues.

If you currently maximise a die for your cutting processes, you must ensure that it is maintained regularly to prolong its service life. Here are some effective ways of maintaining your die.

Conduct Regular Upkeep

One great way to maintain your die is to have it inspected and cleaned regularly. Given the amount of workload this specific tool faces every day, some of its parts may have already been bombarded with debris, dirt particles, and other elements. It may likewise have degraded parts that would require refinishing. When inspecting your die, you must check if it has missing components or insufficient or excessive lubrication so that you can resolve them right away. You must also verify if it has some chipped or cracked parts so it can be serviced by professionals as soon as possible.

Sharpen Key Die Areas

Dies, just like other machining tools, have a limited service life. Fortunately, high-quality dies are expected to work for years. If your die, however, is not serviced correctly, then it may only last for a couple of months. One possible reason behind the shortened service life of a die is the existence of part defects like burrs and broken edges. Luckily, these part defects can be easily resolved by sharpening the die surfaces periodically. The sharpening process can be successful if you utilise the correct grinding wheel. Using the right cutting shear can likewise ensure the extension of the die service life.

Add Shims to Die Sections

To ensure that the die station can maintain proper training, you must add shims to die sections. When doing this specific procedure, you must consider numerous things. First, you must avoid incorrect placement of the shims so that your die can work effectively. You must likewise make sure that all fastening elements such as screws, dowels, and slug drop holes have proper clearance. Utilising the right number of shims must also be done to avoid coming up with new issues. Ultimately, you must remove any burrs and debris from the shims before mounting them to maintain die quality.

Regular maintenance of dies can help you carry out core operations without any problems. However, if you need to obtain new dies, feel free to call us at Gunna Engineering. We are a small engineering business that has over 25 years of experience in manufacturing punches, dies, and blades.

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