This chapter provides an overview of the blanking process and the forces and stresses involved. It discusses the factors that affect part quality and tool life, including punch and die geometry, stagger, clearance, and wear as well as punch velocities, misalignment, and snap-thru forces. It also discusses ultra-high-speed blanking, fine blanking, and shearing, and the use finite-element simulations to predict part edge quality.

Separation of billets by shearing avoids material loss and is considerably faster than sawing or cutting. This chapter discusses the billet shearing process, the characteristics of sheared surfaces, and the effect of various operating parameters on surface quality. It also includes formulas for calculating shearing force, work, and power and describes various ways to increase production rates.