AutoForm Engineering, software supplier for the sheet metal forming industry, has developed a new function for progressive die stamping. AutoFormplus R1 provides a physical model for strip positioning in progressive die stamping, predicting the need for material pilots.
Pilots play an important role in progressive die stamping as they fix the strip into the required position and maintain control over the strip. They are essential for precise sheet positioning during tool closing and drawing operations in transfer dies. The new AutoForm software creates a model that can predict and simulate pilot placement.
The tool can realistically simulate the contact, separation, sliding and rotation of the sheet around the pilots. Within the software, pilots can be defined by their position and also dimension measurements, such as radius and height.
