Sharpening and tool wear
The importance of maintenance
Professional maintenance and sharpening makes punching tool performance consistent and more durable.
This can now be done by the punching machine operators themselves, using the MGM 150A professional and automatic sharpening machine, developed and produced by Matrix for simple, fast and economical operation.
As a guideline, it is always advisable to sharpen tools at the slightest sign of wear. The minimum amount of material will need to be removed, due in part to the fact that tool wear is exponential. Indeed, as wear increases, it lowers the ratio between the cost of the tool and the number of strokes produced.
Small amounts of material should be removed and high levels of cooling are required. Failure to observe these rules may result in tools losing their hardness and micro-cracks being created. In such cases, tool breakage is also possible.
After sharpening, tools must be demagnetized to prevent tiresome slug pulling. If the punch is adjustable, its height will also need to be restored. If not, the stroke of the machine will have to be adjusted.
We recommend taking great care when punching thick material. Our advice is to use punches with an increased rake angle (SPM) and dies with greater clearance.
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Tool maintenance: the matrix sharpening solution
Matrix can satisfy all your maintenance and tool sharpening needs with our range of machines, accessories and instructions, because we know just how important correct maintenance procedures are. Correct tool sharpening, in particular, is essential for maximizing tool durability and performance and for obtaining excellent results in sheet metalworking. An incorrectly sharpened tool inevitably wastes time and money, as well as worsening the end result.
The MGM 150A professional sharpening machine, designed and produced by Matrix, is the perfect solution. The electrically operated Matrix MGM-150A automatic sharpening machine guarantees extremely easy use and reliable sharpening. It can be used to sharpen all punching tools in hardened steel.
Find out more about the Matrix MGM-150A automatic sharpening machine by visiting the dedicated page.
Correct tool sharpening: how it affects your work
The importance of correct tool sharpening on a regular basis significantly affects the quality and end result of your work. Generally speaking, a correctly and regularly sharpened tool lasts twice as long, and its performance remains almost unchanged over the course of time.
A practical example?
| INCORRECT SHARPENING | CORRECT SHARPENING | ||
| Number of strokes | Radius on the cutting edge | Number of strokes | Radius on the cutting edge |
| 80.000 | 0,15 mm | 80.000 | 0,15 mm |
| 40.000 | 0,30 mm | 80.000 | 0,15 mm |
| 20.000 | 0,45 mm | 80.000 | 0,15 mm |
| 10.000 | 0,60 mm | 80.000 | 0,15 mm |
| 5.000 | 0,75 mm | 80.000 | 0,15 mm |
| Total strokes 155.000 | Sharpening only performed at the end, removing 0.75 mm of material | Total strokes 400.000 | Sharpening performed every 80,000 strokes, removing a total of 0.75 mm of material |
Correct sharpening consists of removing a small amount of material as soon as the radius on the cutting edge becomes visible (approximately 0.15 mm). This guarantees a saving, as more than twice the number of machining operations can be performed with the same tool.
With the Matrix MGM-150A automatic sharpening machine, tool sharpening is particularly fast, simple and effective, offering real savings in terms of money and time.
