1. © 2010 Mate Precision Tooling. All Rights Reserved.
Value of Own
Tool Sharpening
European
Dealer Meeting

2. © 2010 Mate Precision Tooling. All Rights Reserved.
Sharpening Value
2
– “First time right“
- Cleaner cuts – nicer holes
– slower tool wear – less tooling cost
- No secondary “repair” work
– Less injury risk for people downstream
- Press brake operators,
people on assembly lines
– Quality of the final product
- Quality image of your customer’s company
 Is an own Tool Sharpening System really a cost …
or a VALUE ?
• Value of Correct Tool Sharpening

3. © 2010 Mate Precision Tooling. All Rights Reserved.
• Sell the Value of own Tool Sharpening System
Sharpening Value
3
– Correct way of sharpening is guaranteed
• Material removed during sharpening can be controlled
• Tool does not get too hot (metallurgy doesn’t change)
(Insufficient coolant, Too much taken off per pass)
• Good surface finish
(Grinding wheel, gradual pressure off, polishing cycle)
– Sell improved product quality and uptime
• Always start with a sharp tool, may require daily sharpening
• Sharp tools can be used for a full shift

4. © 2010 Mate Precision Tooling. All Rights Reserved.
• Sell the need for onsite tool sharpening
– Spare punches and dies not always required
• May be needed when tools are out for sharpening
Sharpening Value
4
– Sharpen tools when it is convenient
• When you have your own grinder, you can sharpen
when needed and at own convenience
– True cost of offsite sharpening
• Transport time and cost
• Actual billed sharpening cost

5. © 2010 Mate Precision Tooling. All Rights Reserved.
Tool Sharpening Concept
5
• Tools inspected, cleaned,
sharpened, set up.
• Placed in storage cabinets until
required.
• Don’t forget the tools that stay in
the machine!
• After completing parts run, return
all non-standard tools to tool room
• Take out and check tools if in
machine too long
• All tools required for new
job staged and delivered
to machines
Tool Room
or
Tool Storage
Machines

6. © 2010 Mate Precision Tooling. All Rights Reserved.
ValuGrind and Premia
Mate offers 2 systems
– ValuGrind
• More economical – small investment
• Main benefits:
• Stable construction – parallel grinding
• Fixtures for various tooling styles
• Powerful motor
• Large grinding wheel – no dressing required
• Internal coolant
• Can grind shear punches
• Manual system – Result depends on operator’s attention and skills
6

7. © 2010 Mate Precision Tooling. All Rights Reserved.
ValuGrind and Premia
Mate offers 2 systems
– Premia
• Full-automatic system –gives always best result
• High quality surface finish
• High repeatability
• Best in class:
• Touch screen control
• Extended fixture system for various
tooling tyles
• Complete cycle incl. spark-out
• Big motor 3.3kW
• Large diameter wheel
• Big coolant tank; internal wheel coolant
• Unique dual stage filtering system
7

8. © 2010 Mate Precision Tooling. All Rights Reserved.
A little sharpening
course …
Tool Sharpening

9. © 2010 Mate Precision Tooling. All Rights Reserved.
When to sharpen
R =0.25mm
Sharpen when a 0.25
mm radius forms on
the cutting edge of
the punch or the die
When to Re-sharpen Punches and Dies
Or …
- When the cutting edge reflects light
- Finger nail test
9
Too late !
- When hole quality changes (burr increases)
- When the sound of punching changes

10. © 2010 Mate Precision Tooling. All Rights Reserved.
Tools show signs when sharpening is required
10
When to sharpen

11. © 2010 Mate Precision Tooling. All Rights Reserved.
F r a c t u r e b e t w e e n
p l a t e a n d s lu g
B u r r
B u r r
P u n c h s e c t io n
w it h d u ll e d g e
D ie s e c t io n
w it h d u ll e d g e
S lu g :
S h e e t :
S t r a i g h t w a ll
S t r a ig h t w a ll
R o l l- o v e r
R o ll - o v e r
Close-up of a burr caused by dull
tools 11
Where do the
burrs come from?

12. © 2010 Mate Precision Tooling. All Rights Reserved.
Inspect All Tools Before Sharpening
Is this tool still worth grinding?
• Cracks in punches or dies
• Worn pins or keyways
12
• Is there enough usable grind life left ?
- Different tooling styles have different grind life
- Does an external grinding company understand
the grind life of your tools ?

13. © 2010 Mate Precision Tooling. All Rights Reserved.
Maximum punch grind life depends
on the guide system the punch is used in !
(B station punch shown)
Punch grind life: Thick Turret Tooling
13
However, in most guide
systems, this part is unusable
because the punch cannot be
adjusted further down.
Maximum Usable Grind Life
= SBR - Stripper Thickness
- Material Thickness
- Die Penetration

14. © 2010 Mate Precision Tooling. All Rights Reserved.
Grind Life = SBR - (Stripper Thickness + Material Thickness
+ Die Penetration)
Punches have a bigger grind life
in smaller thickness
Station
Max.
Thickness
SBR
Ultra
A 3,8 18,9
B 6,4 18,9
C / D 6,4 25,5
E 6,4 26,5
14
Stripper Land
- Ultra A-B = 4 mm
- Ultra C-D-E = 8 mm
Material Thickness
Die Penetration
100% Usable
Grind Life
Mate Ultra System
Punch grind life: Ultra Tooling

15. © 2010 Mate Precision Tooling. All Rights Reserved.
Is there enough grind life left ?
15
For punches used in Mate Ultra guides:
Measure punch tip to stripper
 still available Grind Life
= measured value
- die penetration (3mm)
- sheet thickness
Must be > 0
(keep a little safety margin, e.g. 1mm)
 also works for Reduced SBR punches

16. © 2010 Mate Precision Tooling. All Rights Reserved.
Mate Slug Free®
Thick Turret
Dies
Slug Free®
Die Components
1. Punch
2. Stripper
3. Material
4. Slug Free®
Die
5. Slug
6. Grind Life
7. Entry -- Constricting Taper
8. Pressure Point
9. Exit -- Relief Taper
Hole/Slug Geometry
A. Rollover
B.Burnish
C.Fracture
D.Burr
Slug Free design (standard) to eliminate slug pulling
16
Grind life is 3mm

17. © 2010 Mate Precision Tooling. All Rights Reserved.
Enough die grind life left ?
•Standard Thick Turret
Dies:
minimum height is 27mm!
•Note: finished Mate die still has radius
17
•Thick Turret standard dies: 3.0mm grind life
•Thick Turret Multitool dies: 1.5mm grind life

18. © 2010 Mate Precision Tooling. All Rights Reserved.
Sharpening of Trumpf punches
Standard and QuickLock
punches :
 Shear punches need to be
reground more often than flat punches
Punches Grind Life
Flat 74.0mm 3.0mm
WH/RT 77.0mm 3.0mm
Flat 77.0mm 6.0mm
Flat 77.5mm 6.5mm
NEXT punch inserts have 3.0mm
extra grind life (use of shim)
Multitool punches :
- Single piece: 0.5mm
- With head: 2.0mm
18

19. © 2010 Mate Precision Tooling. All Rights Reserved.
Sharpening of Trumpf dies
 Trumpf recommends 1.0mm
grind life only
 Other suppliers too
 Wilson has “GL” dies with
2.5mm: clearance changes?
19

20. © 2010 Mate Precision Tooling. All Rights Reserved.
Sharpening Rules
– how to regrind ?
20
Wheel Harness / Grit:
• A2 and S7 : G-J / 46-60
• M2 and M4 : D-G / 46-60
Incorrect sharpening
can destroy the tool
• Always use coolant
• Use correct wheel parameters
• Grind with feed steps of 0.02mm
– Repeat as required
• Demagnetize tool after regrinding
– Especially in case of magnetic table
– Punching itself magnetizes tools
• Break edges with oil stone
– Cutting edge of punches and dies
– Shoulder radius on dies
 If you don’t sharpen
in-house, are you sure
your tools are sharpened
correctly ?
• Follow tool geometry

21. © 2010 Mate Precision Tooling. All Rights Reserved.
Good Practices
Verify Grind Life at Tool Sharpening machine
- Minimum tool length indication/information charts
- Measuring gauges
21
Spare Tools to Avoid Downtime
- Especially of high use tools
- Sharpen off-line

22. © 2010 Mate Precision Tooling. All Rights Reserved.
Tool Sharpening Concept
22
• Tools inspected, cleaned,
sharpened, set up.
• Placed in storage cabinets until
required.
• Don’t forget the tools that stay in
the machine!
• After completing parts run, return
all non-standard tools to tool room
• Take out and check tools if in
machine too long
• All tools required for new
job staged and delivered
to machines
Tool Room
or
Tool Storage
Machines

23. © 2010 Mate Precision Tooling. All Rights Reserved.
Importance of Frequent Sharpening
Improper Sharpening
Total Holes
Produced
Radius
Formed
100,000 0.25mm
50,000 0.50mm
25,000 0.75mm
10,000 1.00mm
185,000
Total Hits
1.0mm
Total Removed
More than DOUBLE the tool life
when sharpened frequently!
= Lower cost per hole!
23
Proper Sharpening
Total Holes
Produced
Radius
Formed
100,000 0.25mm
100,000 0.25mm
100,000 0.25mm
100,000 0.25mm
400,000
Total Hits
1.0mm
Total Removed

24. © 2010 Mate Precision Tooling. All Rights Reserved.
Benefits of Correct and Frequent Sharpening
• Longer tool life and lowered cost per hole
Sharpening Benefits
24
• Better quality punched products
– Flatter sheets
(Note: Shear punches give flatter sheets)
– Cleaner holes
– More accurate hole locations
– More up-time on the machine
• Less stress on tools and machine
Can this be guaranteed if you don’t sharpen yourself ?

25. © 2010 Mate Precision Tooling. All Rights Reserved.
Thank you !
Any Questions ?

26. © 2010 Mate Precision Tooling. All Rights Reserved.
Keeping Your Tools Organized
26

27. © 2010 Mate Precision Tooling. All Rights Reserved.
Sharpening Problems : HeatSharpening Problems : Heat
•Lack of Coolant
•Excessive Material
Removal
•Wrong Grinding
Wheel Choice
•Wheel Not Dressed
Properly
27

28. © 2010 Mate Precision Tooling. All Rights Reserved.
Improper Face Geometry
The punch was not sharpened
properly.
The decreased shear depth
increased the flats. This
caused the punch to crack due
to excessive load on the punch.
Flats increased, shear decreased
New Punch
28

29. © 2010 Mate Precision Tooling. All Rights Reserved.
Sharpening Problems
•Wave pattern
indicates heat
•Heat changes
the metallurgy of
the base material
and accelerates
tool wear.
29