Most manufacturing suppliers publish a capability list. Far fewer publish the boundary of it. Balford has put the boundary online in the same detail as the capability: four categories of work the plant declines, with the figures that define each one, at deep-drawn-metal-stamping-our-capability-boundaries.
The four limits
- Micro-stamping. Declined when the blank for a deep drawn part is under 3 mm, or the finished outside diameter is under 0.3 mm. Micro-forming needs dedicated machines, ultra-precision tooling and cleanroom conditions.
- Oversized stamping. Declined when the blank exceeds 600 mm, or the finished drawn height exceeds 200 mm — both are outside the press line.
- High-speed stamping. Balford runs medium to low speed, at a maximum of 120 SPM. High-speed work above that is a different discipline, with different presses and tooling.
- Cosmetic-grade finishes. The plant builds functional components judged on dimensional accuracy, sealing performance and mechanical properties, not on a flawless decorative surface.
Why publish the limits at all
Because screening happens in the wrong order. A buyer typically sends a drawing, waits for a quote, and only then learns the part sits outside the supplier's envelope — a week lost on both sides. Publishing the boundary moves that answer to the front: a part that does not fit is visible in a minute, and where the work belongs to another process, the reply says which kind of shop runs it rather than leaving the enquiry hanging.
The same principle governs the rest of the site. Capability figures are the ones that can be documented — presses from 25 t to 350 t, a maximum deep draw diameter of Ø250 mm, 4,000+ drawing dies accumulated since 2000 — and operations that leave the building are stated as outsourced rather than folded into an in-house claim: bulk production heat treatment, slow-wire EDM, passivation, electropolishing, plating, phosphating and painting.
At a glance
Declined: blanks under 3 mm or finished OD under 0.3 mm · blanks over 600 mm or drawn height over 200 mm · high-speed stamping above 120 SPM · cosmetic-grade finishes. Full list: balford.net/deep-drawn-metal-stamping-our-capability-boundaries/
About Balford
Balford (Zhejiang Balford Mechatronics Co., Ltd.) is a metal forming and machining manufacturer in Zhuji, Zhejiang, producing deep drawn, stamped and machined metal components for automotive, sensor, solenoid valve, HVAC and industrial customers. Capabilities include deep draw metal stamping, progressive die stamping, precision stamping, CNC machining, sheet metal fabrication and tube bending, with in-house tool design and build. ISO 9001:2015 certified, with quality controls aligned to IATF 16949 requirements. Website: https://balford.net/
Media contact: shawn@balford.net · balford.net