Technical center
Glossary of sheet metal working terminology
A technical glossary defining the terms in everyday use in sheet metal working — CNC punching, bending on the press brake, joining by clinching, and general terminology. Each entry gives the Romanian equivalent, which is what you will hear on the shop floor here.
Definitions based on the technical catalogs of Mate Precision Technologies, UKB GmbH and TOX PRESSOTECHNIK.
CNC punching
- punching ștanțare
- A mechanical process in which a punch strikes the sheet and cuts it by shearing, passing through the die. The result is either a cut-out (a hole in the sheet) or a blanked part. On CNC machines the operation repeats rapidly at programmed positions. Mate punching tools →
- punch poanson
- The upper tool that strikes the sheet on a punch press. It has a precise geometry (round, rectangular, special) and can be reconditioned by regrinding. The punch is fitted into a tool holder (turret or punching head) and always works together with a die. Mate tooling →
- die matriță (de ștanțare)
- The fixed lower tool that supports the sheet and guides the cut during punching. The die has an opening slightly larger than the punch — the difference between the two is called clearance. It is mounted on the machine table or in the turret, depending on the machine type. Mate tooling →
- stripper stripper
- The element that holds the sheet down around the punch at the moment of the hit and pulls the punch back out of the sheet after the cut. Without a stripper, the sheet would be lifted along with the punch on retraction. On modern systems (UltraTEC®, for example) the stripper can be changed without tools.
- thick turret turelă groasă
- A tool holder standard used by most European and Asian punch presses (Amada, Euromac, Prima Power / Finn-Power, LVD, Salvagnini, Danobat). Tooling is organized on standardized stations: A (½"), B (1¼"), C (2"), D (3½"), E (4½") — the station letter determines the maximum tool diameter. Thick Turret compatibility guide →
- die clearance joc poanson-matriță
- The difference between the dimensions of the punch and of the die opening, usually expressed as a percentage of sheet thickness. Clearance influences the quality of the cut edge, tool wear and the force required. Too little clearance overloads the tool; too much leaves burrs on the edge of the cut.
- forming forming / deformare
- An operation carried out on the punch press in which the sheet is not cut but deliberately deformed — stiffening ribs, louvres, embossings, extruded threads. Forming needs special tools with 3D geometry and higher forces than standard punching. Mate forming tools →
- regrinding reascuțire
- Reconditioning the cutting edge of the punch by grinding the top (front) face, removing a thin layer of worn material. Each regrind shortens the working length of the punch slightly. The maximum number of regrinds before the tool is scrapped depends on the tooling system (UltraTEC®, for example, has more grinding allowance than the Original Style system).
Press brakes and sheet bending
- press brake presă de îndoit / abkant
- An industrial machine for bending sheet metal to precise angles. The sheet is clamped between an upper punch (which descends) and a lower die (with a V-shaped channel). The bend angle is determined by how deep the punch penetrates into the die. Modern machines are CNC and servo-electric. UKB press brake tooling →
- bending punch / top tool poanson abkant
- The upper tool of the press brake, which presses the sheet into the channel of the die. The punch geometry (tip angle, tip radius, length, height) determines which bends can be produced — standard bends, counter-forms, complex shapes. UKB punches are precision ground and hardened on the working radius to 52–55 HRC. UKB tooling →
- V-die prismă / matriță V
- The lower tool of the press brake, with a V-shaped channel into which the punch and the sheet enter. The width of the V channel determines the force required and the minimum bend radius achievable. One die can carry several V channels of different widths on the same tool. UKB systems →
- bending radius raza de îndoire
- The inner radius of the bend in the sheet, expressed in mm. It is dictated by the properties of the material, the sheet thickness and the tool geometry. On UKB tooling, the working radius of the punch (the active tip) is hardened by heat treatment to 52–55 HRC for wear resistance.
- springback retur elastic
- The partial elastic recovery of the sheet after bending — the sheet "opens" slightly relative to the intended angle, because of the elasticity of the material. Tooling and CNC machines compensate for springback by programmed overbending. The amount of springback varies with the material, the thickness and the bend radius.
- guillotine blade cuțit ghilotină
- A blade for the machine that cuts sheet in a straight line (a guillotine shear). UKB blades are available for different makes and models of guillotine, made from heat-treated tool steels and precision ground. UKB guillotine blades →
Joining and assembly
- clinching clinching
- A technology for joining two or more sheets mechanically through cold plastic deformation, without heat and without any added material (rivets, screws, welds). The punch presses the layers of sheet into the die, creating a permanent mechanical "point". Joint quality is checked non-destructively by measuring the residual thickness. TOX clinching presses →
- TOX point / round joint punct TOX
- The trade name of the clinched joint produced with TOX PRESSOTECHNIK equipment. The TOX Round Joint is the base variant; SKB, Vario, Twin and Flat variants exist for specific applications. The diameter of the point influences the strength of the joint. TOX presses →
- clinch nut / press-in nut piuliță auto-sertizabilă
- A fastener with an internal thread that is pressed into the sheet without welding. Under the action of the press, material from the sheet flows into the grooves of the nut and locks it mechanically. The result is a permanent thread in thin sheet, with no thermal operation. TOX presses →
General terminology
- sheet metal processing / fabrication prelucrarea tablei
- The set of mechanical operations applied to flat sheet metal to produce finished parts or semi-finished goods: cutting (guillotining, laser, plasma), punching (blanking, forming), bending (press brake, panel bending), joining (clinching, welding, riveting). Lang & Sin supplies tooling and equipment for punching, bending, pressing and joining.
- turret station stație de turelă
- A position in the turret of the punch press where a tool holder (punch + die + stripper) is fitted. Each station has a standardized diameter (A, B, C, D, E in the Thick Turret system) that determines the maximum size of tool that can be mounted. Thick Turret guide →
- technical distributor distribuitor tehnic
- An authorised commercial partner distributing a manufacturer's products in a given region, offering technical consultation, compatibility identification and after-sales support alongside the sale itself. Unlike a plain reseller, a technical distributor has direct access to the manufacturer's specialists and to the complete technical documentation. About Lang & Sin →
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