Progressive Die Stamping

Progressive die stamping makes high-volume sheet metal parts by feeding strip stock through multiple die stations, combining cutting and forming in one press cycle.

Overview

Progressive die stamping feeds a continuous metal strip through a die set where each press stroke performs a sequence of operations—piercing, blanking, forming, and trimming—until a finished part is separated at the last station. Parts index pitch-to-pitch, so output rate is high and piece-part cost drops quickly once the tool is built.

Choose it for high-volume, repeatable sheet metal components with multiple features that can be produced from coil. Typical strengths: fast cycle times, good feature-to-feature repeatability, and the ability to combine many ops into one tool.

Tradeoffs: high upfront tooling cost and lead time, design changes are expensive, and complexity is constrained by strip layout, tonnage, and material formability. Burr direction, springback, and flatness need to be managed; secondary ops (deburr, plating, tapping, heat treat) may still be required depending on requirements.

Common Materials

  • Stainless Steel 301
  • Stainless Steel 304
  • CRS 1018
  • HSLA steel
  • Aluminum 5052
  • Phosphor Bronze

Tolerances

±0.002" to ±0.005"

Applications

  • Electrical terminals and contacts
  • Spring clips and retaining clips
  • Shield cans and EMI/RFI covers
  • Automotive brackets and clips
  • Small appliance latches and levers
  • Connector shells and stamped covers

When to Choose Progressive Die Stamping

Choose progressive die stamping for coil-fed parts that need multiple pierce/blank/form features at high production volumes with consistent repeatability. It fits parts where the geometry can be built station-by-station without excessive draw depth or extreme forming strains. It’s most cost-effective when the design is stable enough to justify dedicated tooling.

vs Transfer Die Stamping

Choose progressive die stamping when the part can stay attached to a carrier strip through all stations and can be reliably piloted/indexed from coil. It typically delivers higher stroke rates and lower handling complexity for smaller, flatter parts with many pierce/form steps.

vs Deep Drawing

Choose progressive die stamping when the part is primarily a flat or moderately formed component and the required depth-to-diameter ratio is low. It’s better suited to parts dominated by piercing/blanking and shallow forms rather than cup-shaped shells requiring controlled material flow.

vs Blanking & Piercing

Choose progressive die stamping when you need multiple operations beyond cutting—like forming, extrusions, lances, or restrikes—in a single tool with one pass from coil. It reduces secondary ops and improves feature-to-feature repeatability versus standalone blank/pierce tooling.

vs Coining

Choose progressive die stamping when coining is only one of several required operations and can be integrated as a station in the die. It’s a better fit when overall part economics depend on combining coin features with piercing, forming, and cutoff in one cycle.

Design Considerations

  • Keep feature sizes and edge-to-hole distances compatible with material thickness to avoid distortion and punch breakage
  • Add generous radii on formed features and avoid sharp inside corners to reduce cracking and improve tool life
  • Control burr direction by specifying the critical edge and tolerancing the functional side of the part
  • Minimize tight flatness requirements on heavily formed parts; call out functional datums and inspection methods explicitly
  • Provide a stable strip carrier and piloting strategy; avoid isolated tabs or fragile features that can tear during feed
  • Call out grain direction and allowable springback sensitivity when bend angles and repeatability are critical