Deep Drawing

Deep drawing forms sheet metal into deep, seamless, cup-like shapes with high repeatability, ideal for high-volume cylindrical or box-shaped parts.

Overview

Deep drawing (deep draw) is a metal stamping process that pulls flat sheet or coil into a die cavity with a punch to create deep, hollow shapes—often with one closed end. It excels at cylindrical, box, or irregular cup-like geometries with seamless walls, such as cans, housings, and shells. Multiple draw stages can achieve significant depth-to-diameter ratios while maintaining structural strength and consistent wall thickness.

Deep drawing works best for medium to very high volumes where tooling cost can be amortized. It delivers good dimensional repeatability, smooth surfaces, and minimal scrap once dialed in. Expect limits on sharp radii, very deep draws in hard materials, and tight tolerances on heavily stretched areas without secondary sizing or machining. Engineers need to consider draw ratios, material formability, and risk of wrinkling or tearing. When designed correctly, deep drawing is a cost-effective way to produce strong, lightweight, closed-end metal parts at scale.

Common Materials

  • Low carbon steel
  • Stainless steel 304
  • Aluminum 3003
  • Aluminum 5052
  • Copper
  • Brass

Tolerances

±0.005"

Applications

  • Beverage and aerosol cans
  • Automotive sensor and motor housings
  • Appliance and HVAC housings
  • Cookware bodies and pans
  • Battery cans and electronic shells
  • Caps, ferrules, and metal end closures

When to Choose Deep Drawing

Choose deep drawing for deep, hollow, closed-end shapes where you want seamless walls and strong, lightweight structures in sheet metal. It fits medium to high volumes with stable designs that justify dedicated tooling. It performs best for axisymmetric or boxy parts with moderate complexity and consistent wall thickness.

vs Progressive Die Stamping

Pick deep drawing when the primary challenge is forming a deep, seamless shell rather than a sequence of shallow forms and piercings. Progressive die stamping is better for flatter parts with many small features; deep drawing is better when draw depth and wall integrity dominate design requirements.

vs Transfer Die Stamping

Choose deep drawing in a dedicated deep-draw press setup when the part is mainly a cup or shell and doesn’t need many side features or complex flange operations. Transfer dies shine when the part needs multiple forming, piercing, or flanging steps on the same piece as it moves station to station; simple deep cups can be made more economically in focused deep-draw tooling.

vs Blanking & Piercing

Use deep drawing when you must pull material into a three-dimensional cavity to create depth and volume, not just flat profiles and holes. Blanking and piercing only define the 2D outline and openings; deep drawing converts that blank into a functional 3D shell or housing.

vs Coining

Select deep drawing when you need overall shape and depth with structural walls, not just crisp surface detail or thickness calibration. Coining is ideal for very shallow features and tight thickness control; deep drawing is for taller parts where depth-to-diameter ratio and wall continuity matter.

vs CNC Machining

Favor deep drawing over CNC machining for high-volume hollow parts like cans or housings where most material would otherwise be removed as chips. Deep drawing reduces material waste and cycle time dramatically, but requires up-front tooling and parts designed around sheet forming limits.

Design Considerations

  • Keep draw ratios within material limits; target first-draw blank diameter to cup diameter ratios of roughly 1.8:1 or lower unless using very ductile material and multiple draws
  • Use generous corner and punch radii at the bottom and walls to reduce thinning and tearing; avoid sharp transitions that concentrate strain
  • Maintain uniform wall thickness wherever possible and avoid sudden section changes or embossed features in heavily drawn regions
  • Specify which dimensions are critical to function and which are cosmetic so the stamper can focus control and decide if secondary sizing is needed
  • Orient grain direction and choose tempers for formability; avoid very hard tempers for deep draws unless multiple anneal steps are acceptable
  • Provide realistic tolerances on flanges and open edges, which will have more variation than areas controlled by the punch and die cavity