How the American Metal Stamping Industry Has Evolved in the Last Century

At Master Products, we’ve been providing quality American metal stamping services for well over a century. Obviously the stamping industry has seen some pretty significant changes in that time. For the most part, quality control and volume requirements have gone way up to keep track with ever-rising consumer demand. Meanwhile, stamping presses and other production technologies have drastically improved to offer more speed, higher consistency, and advanced automation.

What hasn’t changed is our company’s dedication to delivering superior stamped products that meet our customers’ exact requirements.

A Brief History of Metal Stamping Technology

A look into the past: the Master Products metal stamping facility in the early 20th century.

The history of metal stamping dates all the way back to the 7th century B.C. in the region of present-day Turkey. There, a society known as the Lydians used simple metal stamping methods to produce stamped coins.

It wasn’t until 1550 that the metal stamping process was significantly improved by a German silversmith named Marx Schwab. He invented a screw machine to automate the metal stamping process. Essentially, Schwab paved the way for all of the robotic presses and automated metal stamping processes used throughout the industry today.

American Metal Stamping Services in the Early 20th Century

By the time Master Products was founded in 1919, the metal stamping industry had already come a long way. Our company was founded in the new peacetime economy that immediately followed World War I – along with all of the technological advancements that came out of the war and the preceding Industrial Revolution.

Our founders set up shop in a 4,400 sq.-ft shop located in Cleveland, Ohio. With a modest line of manually-operated machines and dedicated craftsmen, Master Products specialized in producing quality washers and other relatively simple custom stampings for an array of newly emerging markets.

The Domestic Metal Stamping Industry of Today

So how do our metal stamping services today compare to what we offered in 1919? For one thing, our presses are much more capable. Having grown in size to 66,000 sq.-ft, our facility is now home to 52 stamping presses with ratings of 15 to 250 tons. A wide range of presses is imperative for today’s metal stamping companies in order to efficiently manufacture a diverse range of products – from high-performance industrial machinery bushings to delicate everyday consumer devices.

Another thing that has significantly evolved is our quality control process. While Master Products has always strived for absolute quality, today’s metal stamping industry has much more stringent standards than it did over a century ago. For example, our ISO 9001:2015 certification assures overall quality and efficient production standards. Some specialized markets have even come to adopt their own unique standards for quality and consistency, such as our IATF 16949:2016 certification for automotive stampings.

Dedicated to High Quality Stamping Solutions Since 1919

Backed by over a century of dedicated service to the American metal stamping industry, Master Products is your single-source contract manufacturer for quality-backed custom metal stamping solutions.

Die Stamping Services vs. Die Casting: Advantages, Disadvantages, and Applications

As one of the Midwest’s leading metal stamping companies, Master Products has specialized in quality die stamping services for well over a century. However, stamping presses aren’t always necessarily the best tool for the job. The modern manufacturing industry offers a multitude of other unique production methods that have various advantages and disadvantages when compared to custom metal stamping solutions.

Choosing the most efficient production method for your project requires a manufacturer with expertise in engineering.

Which Is the Best Manufacturing Method for Your Custom Parts and Assemblies?

Perhaps because of the similar nomenclature, we have found that many customers wonder about the difference between die stamping services and die casting solutions. Below we discuss some of the advantages, disadvantages, and unique product applications for metal stamping vs. die casting.

Metal Stamping Services vs. Die Casting Services

Material Choice:

Die stamping is a suitable manufacturing method for both ferrous and non-ferrous metals. In contrast, die casting is generally performed on non-ferrous materials, except in applications which use gray iron or cast iron.

Production Cost Comparison:

For relatively simple metal parts, stamping can be more economical than die casting, the stamping dies are also less costly, however, with the increase of complexity, the cost of metal stamping will be raised because of the use of more additional components.

Part Design and Complexity:

While die stamping is better for high-volume manufacturing of relatively simple parts, die casting is generally viewed as the more suitable process for producing large batches of highly complex components. Nevertheless, metal stamping services can also be utilized for complex parts with precise tolerances. This is especially true if you choose a metal stamping company that offers progressive stamping services backed by custom toolmaking solutions to build the best tool for your unique products.

Material Waste and Sustainability:

In many cases, die casting is more environmentally-friendly than die stamping due to the amount of scrap metal and excess material used in the stamping process. However, through engineering and design improvements, an experienced metal stamping company can optimize your products to minimize both material usage and scrap creation. Furthermore, the advancement of modern industrial recycling methods continues to make metal stamping an increasingly sustainable process.

Quality Metal Stamping Services for Cleveland, Ohio, the Midwest, and Beyond

Since 1919, Master Products has delivered world-class metal stamping solutions from our hometown facility in Cleveland, Ohio. We proudly serve commercial die stamping customers throughout the greater Midwest and beyond through our flexible and responsive contract manufacturing services.

Metal Stamping Dies Explained: What Goes into Building “Class A” Tooling?

The industrial metal stamping industry generally classifies custom dies and tooling into one of three tiers. For less demanding commercial metal stamping projects requiring low- to mid-volume runs, you have the option of Class B or even Class C tooling to adequately get the job done.

However, standing above Classes B and C in both quality and capability are Class A stamping dies. Class A tooling is further divided into Type 1 and Type 2 categories, all of which are discussed below.

Tool Classes Compared: Class A vs. Class B vs. Class C Stamping Dies

Class A Stamping Dies

Class A stamping dies are utilized in high-quality production applications to manufacture a wide range of commercial and industrial components. This includes precision products which require complex geometries and close tolerances, as well as custom stamped parts that require premium surface finishing, such as automotive body panels and consumer appliances.

In all cases, Class A tooling is engineered for extreme reliability and built from highly resilient materials – generally some of the toughest steels on the market. This ensures that the tool will stand up to the rigors of high-volume manufacturing and consistently produce quality stamped products within the desired specifications.

In some applications, Class A dies will churn out several million custom stamped parts over the course of the tool’s lifetime.

Class A – Type 1 Tooling

Type 1 stamping dies in the Class A category are generally larger dies used for stretching and drawing exterior panels. Typical uses include automotive body panels, large industrial panels, as well as custom stamped panels for home and appliance products.

The metal sheets that are stamped from Class A - Type 1 dies are prominently featured on the exterior of the finished product – which are often high-dollar commercial and consumer investments. That means every stamped panel must be entirely smooth and free of defects. Therefore, the solution requires a precision Type 1 stamping die which is manufactured to an even higher quality standard than the finished products.

Class A – Type 2 Tooling

Type 2 - Class A dies demand the highest degree of toolmaking precision and consistency possible. These stamping dies and assemblies are manufactured only from the highest quality, most durable materials available – including specialized tool steels, carbide, high-performance ceramics, and aluminum die shoes. 

Essentially, Type 2 dies are at the quality pyramid. If you have an extremely high-volume metal stamping project, or if your custom stamped parts require highly complex design and invariably close tolerances, a progressive Type 2 stamping die may be the key to your project’s success and sustainability.

Class B Stamping Dies

Class B tooling is the most common type used throughout the commercial and industrial metal stamping industry. While these dies are not built to the precision standards of Class A tooling, they are still built to extremely close tolerances and manufactured from highly durable tool steels.

Class B stamping dies are typically designed with a hypothetical shelf life in mind – when you have determined your expected production volume, the Class B tooling is designed and built to reliably produce stampings up to and slightly beyond that volume. However, they are not engineered to last indefinitely or perform quite as precisely as their Class A counterparts.

Class C Stamping Dies

Class C tooling is a lower-cost option that is perfectly suitable for many low- to mid-volume, less demanding metal stamping projects. Class C dies are also ideal for many custom prototyping projects for which precision dimensioning and premium finishes are not required.

Complete Custom Metal Stamping Services and In-House Toolmaking Solutions

Do your custom stamped products require a relatively simple Class B or Class C die? Or do you have a high-volume, complex metal stamping project requiring finely engineered progressive Class A tooling? In either case, quality stamped components start with proper die design and tool building.

At Master Products, our precision Class A dies are built and maintained in-house to ensure the highest degree of manufacturing accuracy and consistency possible.