What does custom metal stamping mean?
Nothing is taken from a catalogue: the tool is built for your drawing, so the part exists only in your programme. That is why the first deliverable is not a price but a manufacturability review - draw ratio, blank size, forming stages, thinning and the tooling cost drivers are checked before steel is cut.
What to send for a custom stamping quotation
- A 2D drawing with the datum scheme and the tolerances that matter.
- A 3D model (STEP or IGES) where one exists.
- Material and thickness, or the service environment if the grade is still open.
- Annual volume and first-order quantity.
- The two or three dimensions the assembly actually depends on.
- Surface treatment, application temperature and the assembly method.
How the tooling question is settled
| Question | What we tell you |
|---|---|
| Which tool type? | Single-hit, progressive or transfer - recommended from the annual volume and the number of operations, including the volume at which the cheaper route would have been right |
| What does the tool cost? | Quoted per project, split into design, build and tryout, with tooling ownership and storage stated |
| How long? | Common single-operation or deep-draw programmes: 15–30 days in-house design and build; progressive and transfer dies take 30–60 days |
| What if my volume is low? | There is no fixed MOQ. The practical minimum follows from the process: a single-operation die makes a small first batch economic, a progressive tool pays back at volume |
From tool to series production
- DFM review - before tooling, against the drawing or 3D model.
- Tool build and tryout - on Balford production presses, so the sample comes off the process you will be supplied from.
- First article inspection - dimensional results against the confirmed drawing.
- PPAP-aligned documentation - at the level your quality department specifies.
- Series production - with lot inspection records retained and material certificates per heat.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a minimum order quantity for custom stamping?
There is no fixed MOQ. The practical minimum depends on the process and the tooling: a single-operation die makes a small first batch economic, while a progressive tool only pays back at volume. Send the target quantity with the drawing and the review will say which route fits that number.
Can you manufacture from a sample instead of a drawing?
A sample helps, but a drawing or 3D model is what the tool is built to and what the first article is inspected against. Where only a sample exists, the first step is to agree the dimensions and tolerances in writing.
How long does a custom programme take end to end?
Typically 15–30 days for tool design, build and tryout on common single-operation or deep-draw work, then sample lead time by process: 15–30 days for a single-operation die, 30–60 days for progressive and transfer dies, 7–15 days for CNC turning and tube bending and 7–30 days for sheet metal, in natural days from confirmed drawings.
What happens if the part cannot be made as drawn?
The DFM review says so before tooling, with the reason: draw ratio too deep for one stage, a corner radius that will crack, a wall thickness the forming route cannot hold, or a tolerance that belongs on a machined feature. You then decide whether to change the design or accept a different route.