Punching
Punching is a rapid, low-cost alternative to laser cutting, ideally suited to the production of perforated parts or those requiring louvres or small extrusions.
Hitherbest owns 2 Trumpf punch press machines, including a TruPunch 5000, which sets the standard in industrial punching capability.
The TruPunch5000 can produce up to 1350 cut-outs per minute, enabling the rapid production of highly-perforated parts, such as grilles. It generates a punching force of up to 220 kN, across a working range of 3050 mm x 1550 mm, to force cut outs from flat sheets or generate small extrusions, such as louvres.
The TruPunch 5000 has an active die, which retracts away from the sheet after each stroke, to minimise the possibility of damage to parts during sheet repositioning. When combined with a brushed bed, this technology reduces scratching and the need for labour-intensive pneumatic sanding later in the production process. If uncoated (non-painted) aluminium, stainless or textured steel parts are required, Hitherbest sources metal sheets coated in a thin plastic film, to further minimise damage to the parts during the punching process.
Skeleton-free production of small parts
The cutting of sheet metal is not confined to lasers, saws and guillotines. The cutting tools on punch press machines can be used to produce smaller parts from a large sheet. Modern punch press machines can do this without creating a metal skeleton, lowering costs for customers by eliminating material wastage. Hitherbest’s on-site tool grinder keeps our tools sharp, so that we can be confident of consistently sharp cuts, with minimal sheet deformation.
Hitherbest is well placed to advise the best route to manufacture for your part. Our Manufacturing Review Service is free of charge and includes a tour of our facilities for new or potential customers.
Low-cost automated production of countersinks and electrical knockouts
Hitherbest has 240 punch tools, including 12 countersink tools able to create conical holes that allow a screw, bolt or rivet to sit flush to the surface of the material. Punching these conical holes is a faster and far more accurate alternative to drilling with a specialised countersink drill bit.
With decades of experience producing electrical switchgear cabinets, Hitherbest also has an extensive selection of electrical knockout tooling. This tool library gives Hitherbest the flexibility required to meet the needs of most customers working in this sector, without the need to order bespoke contract-specific tooling.
Our tool library also includes a number of embossing tools. Embossing has many applications, from the creation of small dimples that can raise fabricated parts off the floor or away from a wall, where air flow is a consideration, to the branding of parts with indelible logos.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Lead time will vary depending on a number of factors, including the nature of the work, whether or not an item has been manufactured by Hitherbest before, if the design has been optimised for production and if any specialist tooling, finishes or additional components are required. We pride ourselves on our short lead times, so if you are working to a tight deadline please contact our production team to see if we can help.
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Contact Hitherbest
We welcome enquiries from businesses in any sector. Please outline your requirements by completing the form below.
If you are new to sheet metal fabrication, our checklist details the information we need in order to provide a quotation.