A body panel stamping die looks like a simple block of steel, but it is the result of months of engineering, machining and testing. Hailong Group has built cold stamping dies for automobile body panels and sheet metal parts since the group introduced its automobile mold project in 1993. This article walks through how a die project runs at our plant, and what buyers can prepare at each stage to keep the project on schedule.
What a body panel die does
An automotive body panel is rarely formed in one hit. A flat steel blank usually passes through a set of dies, each doing one or more operations such as drawing, trimming, piercing and flanging. The drawing die gives the panel its shape, and the following dies cut the outline, punch the holes and bend the edges. Each die in the set has to match the others, because an error in one operation carries through to the finished part.
Step 1: Quotation and contract
Every project starts with a review of the part. Our engineers look at the drawings or 3D data, the material grade and sheet thickness, the expected annual volume and the press line the dies will run on. Open questions are cleared before the quotation, so the price and schedule are based on the real part, not on assumptions. Once both sides agree, the contract fixes the scope and delivery milestones.
Step 2: Quality management planning
Before any steel is cut, the project gets a quality management plan. At Hailong this plan covers four processes:
- Mold design
- Process programming
- Processing and assembly
- Mold test and delivery
Alongside these, raw materials are inspected on arrival, the production process is checked at each stage, product monitoring runs through tryout, and nonconforming parts are controlled. Records and documents are kept under control so the production plan and production flow stay traceable.
Step 3: Die design
Die design takes place in our technology center, which was set up in 2004 and recognized as a Qingdao Municipal Enterprise Technology Center in 2008. The team works on R&D workstations with scanners and industrial design software, and handles the design of auto molds, inspection tools and fixtures. Designing the die and its checking fixture in the same place means both use the same datums from the start.
Step 4: Programming and machining
Once the design is released, the die components are programmed and machined in house. Large and small parts need different machines, so the work is split across our equipment:
- 2316 gantry machining center (X2000 / Y1200 / Z800 mm, 6,000 rpm) for large die parts, welded parts and castings
- HMC100L horizontal machining center (X1600 / Y1300 / Z1300 mm) for box, flange and mold parts
- 1614 high-speed machining center (20,000 rpm) for fine inserts and connecting plates
- 1160 and 850 vertical machining centers (12,000 rpm) for precision small parts
- EDM, four wire EDM machines and grinders for punches, inserts and precise edges
The full list is on our capabilities page.
Step 5: Assembly and fitting
Machined components are then fitted and assembled into the complete die. This is where the upper and lower halves, guides, punches and inserts are brought together and checked against each other. Careful fitting at this stage shortens tryout, because fewer corrections are needed once the die is in the press.
Step 6: Tryout, measurement and delivery
Mold testing is a fixed stage of every project. Dies are run on our large mold tryout press, alongside mechanical and hydraulic presses, and the stamped panels are measured. Our measuring equipment includes a large laser three-coordinate measuring machine and handheld 3D scanning that compares the part directly with the CAD model. Tryout and measurement results are shared with the customer before the die is released for delivery, installation and commissioning.
What buyers can prepare
- Final 2D drawings and 3D data of the part, with any tolerance notes
- Material grade and sheet thickness
- Annual volume and planned start of production
- Press line details: tonnage, bed size, shut height and automation
- Your part approval process and who signs off tryout results
Clear data at the start saves weeks later. Our RFQ guide lists everything we need for a quotation.
Dies and stamped parts from one group
Hailong Group also runs its own stamping, welding, assembly and coating, including an 8,250-ton closed fully automatic stamping line from Jier Machine-tool Group and a 3,400-ton automatic line. For customers who need both dies and parts, that means one supplier for the whole chain. Learn more about our vehicle moulds and stamping dies.
Talk to our engineers
Send your part drawings or 3D data using our RFQ guide or the contact page. You can also email nora@qdhailong.com or call +86-532-66090318.