Punching thicker material ( <3~4mm MS / <2~3mm SS)ACADEMY > TIPS AND INFORMATION > Punching non-metallic or plastic materialsHow to correctly place sheet metal?

Punching non-metallic or plastic materials

You may need to punch new materials that are non-metals or plastic, that require some different settings and attentions compared to standard materials.

  • Punches and dies should be extremely sharp;
  • Reduce die clearance, no more than 10% of the material thickness (even less);
  • Use Lubricant when punching hard plastic (if possible);
  • Reduce Machine speed and check if tools have stripping issues;
  • If punching abrasive or fiber reinforced material (eg.plexiglass),use coated or special steel punches;
  • Use urethane pads for avoid marking on sensitive material;
  • Support thin material With combi material, evaluate more spare parts due to the adhesive layer (eg. cardboard).