In a recent test at the Stork-Herron Testing Laboratories, the Dual-Head Punch Tool made an unprecedented number of precise, near flawless punches without showing signs of wear. After a record 75,000 strikes in a simulated manufacturing environment typical to the fabrication and fastener industry, the Dual-Head Punch Tool continued to provide exceptional punch quality with no degradation. When the test concluded, the new Dual-Head Punch Tool had made more than 30 times the number of punches typically made by the standard single-head punch tool.

To ensure the test conducted by Stork-Herron was thorough and complete, it ran over a 7-month period and demonstrated the performance of the Dual-Head Punch Tool versus the standard single-head punch tool at a high volume of continuous punching. The tools were set up to punch 4-millimeter cold rolled steel strips, comparable to the steel used to manufacture structural components for automobiles and light trucks, at a rate of 10 strikes per minute with no lubrication. This test was monitored by Stork-Herron Testing Laboratory technicians to determine the wear characteristics of punch tools and showed the inherent advantages of the Dual-Head Punch Tool to the fabrication and fastener industries.

Typically, as punch tools make an increased number of strikes, they dull and begin to create rough edges or burrs. Comparing both the Dual-Head Punch Tool and the standard single-head tool at 10,000 strikes, the dual-head continued to make a near-perfect punch while the single-head tool showed significant rough edges and had long passed its useful life after completing only 2,500 strikes.

The advantage is clear, the Dual-Head Punch Tool demonstrated superior quality after making over 70,000 more strikes than the single-head punch tool before the test was terminated.

The patented design takes advantages of two heads during the manufacturing process, allowing the second head to relieve the pressure on the first head and continue to punch clean strikes without producing unacceptable quality or significant burrs. The theory behind the dualhead is a second cutting edge created by the patented annular groove. This second groove provides cleaner, consistent holes and results in a finished product that does not show roughness with respect to the punches due to wear down of the tool. And, there is no need to reengineer your manufacturing process or retool your machines. Simply insert the Dual-Head Punch Tool configured for your manufacturing needs and begin punching.

Cost is always a key factor that must be considered in any manufacturing process. The Dual-Head Punch Tool's per-punch cost is less than 1 cent, making it the only choice when high productivity, exceptional quality, and low cost is your goal. Remember, the Dual-Head Punch Tools adapt to your existing metal piercing machinery so there is no outlay of capital to buy new machines or reconfigure your equipment.

With the Dual-Head Punch Tool lasting a minimum of 30 times longer than the single-head punch tool, the need to change the tool during the manufacturing process is less frequent. Case in point…Over a 24-hour period of continuous punching, it is estimated that the single-head punch tool would have to be changed 6 times, equaling a productivity lost of two hours, with each tool change taking about 20 minutes. The Dual-Head Punch Tool would not need to be changed within a 24-hour period. Tool changes would only occur every 5 days for the Dual-Head Punch Tool, resulting in a productivity-gain of more than 705 hours per year, or a 33 percent increase of productive hours based on a 2080-hour work-year. This productivity increase is based on producing 10 strikes per minute, 600 strikes per hour and 14,400 strikes over a 24-hour period, 365 days per year.