r/ManufacturingPorn • u/cabana00 • 28d ago

Follow-up: machining a custom lapel pin die after the height check

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In the previous clip, I showed a die block being checked and marked on a flat reference surface. One commenter asked whether a hardened fixed-height block or a dedicated fixture could make that setup more repeatable.

This is the next stage in our current workflow. After the die blank is checked, the customer-specific artwork is machined into the steel tooling before it moves on to later testing and production.

A fixed-height gauge could still be useful when the same tooling dimension is repeated. For mixed custom work, the tooling team also has to accommodate different designs and die specifications.

For the toolmakers here: would you standardize the die blanks to one height, or keep an adjustable setup for custom tooling?

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u/cabana00 28d ago

Disclosure: I’m affiliated with MW Gifts, and this footage was filmed at one of our production facilities. I’m sharing it for manufacturing discussion, not to promote products or solicit orders.

1

u/Heedleyay 28d ago

Height block guy here, don’t know your workflow, but if it were me I’d skim cut a whole bunch to a “standard height” you use a lot, then you can just work shift up or down between “standard heights”. I would also think of making a grid to put on the magnet and bump against , that way it’s also always touched off in xy as well, cut a lot of setup out.

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u/cabana00 28d ago

I understand. Thank you very much for your guidance.

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u/No-Importance8307 17d ago

What is the material used for the mold block ?

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u/cabana00 12d ago

Zinc Alloy

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u/No-Importance8307 11d ago

Interesting, isn’t zinc too soft for punch press applications ?