What Are the Benefits of Blanking?

blanking

D+M’s blanking capabilities are essential for the many metal fabrication processes we perform for our customers. Our blanking equipment includes: shears, CNC turret punch presses, laser cutting and machining. If you have questions about blanking, what it entails, and what its benefits are, we will cover that in this blog. 

What Is Blanking? 

Blanking is the process of punching pieces of specific shapes out of sheets or strips of raw material such as steel, stainless steel, and aluminum. The punched out piece is the blank; it’s the product and not the byproduct of the process. This is a fast method of producing many identical parts which may need additional finishing processes to smooth out burrs along the bottom edge of the blanked part. 

Manufacturers can use different types of machinery for this process. These range from punches and dies to CNC machinery. The equipment is configured, and then the raw material is fed into the blanking machine, usually multiple sheets at a time. Because the blanks are identical, the production runs are simple and cost-effective, with few adjustments required to the machinery or the material. Because the process is straightforward, strict tolerances are possible.   

The Difference between Blanking and Punching

Punching is a different process, but sometimes people use the term blanking to mean punching, and this can cause some confusion. Both processes result in the precise removal of pieces of the base sheet of metal. The main difference is that the end product of blanking is the removed piece of metal, while the end product of punching is the larger piece of metal which now has holes pierced into it. The removed pieces in the punching process are the scrap or waste metal, and the final product will undergo further fabrication processes.  

Both punching and blanking are very efficient processes. The waste metal can often be recycled or reused, resulting in cost savings for the customer.

From DM Metal Products on Vimeo.

Part of our metal fabrication process is working with our customers to add as much value as possible by minimizing waste, increasing process efficiency, and delivering a part that exceeds standards. We have the capability to blank steel, stainless steel, brass, copper, and aluminum. 

Your Metal Fabrication Needs Supplied

D+M Metal Products offers precision blanking and punching services to companies locally and nationwide. Due to our investments in high quality metal fabrication equipment and our trained and experienced workforce, we have the capability to accommodate a wide variety of orders. We can do it all, so save time, money, and energy by sending your metal projects to us. Contact us today to discuss your custom blanking needs

 

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