Materials

Reverse Tonnage: The Not So Silent Press Killer

November 1, 2011

Have you ever walked into a metal stamping facility and heard an operation that sounded like a shotgun blast every time the press passed through the bottom of its stroke? If so, you were witnessing the destruction of a press caused by reverse tonnage.

What is Reverse Tonnage?

Reverse tonnage, often referred to as “snap through”, is the undesirable result of cutting operations. When a punch breaks through the metal during a cutting or perforating operation, a negative force results. This is the moment in time when a press has built up enough force to exceed the shear strength of the material and the material fractures. The sudden release of stored up energy occurs in less than 20 milliseconds and the press components that are designed to function in compression are placed in tension while those that are normally in tension end up in compression.

What Causes Reverse Tonnage?

The reverse tonnage is caused by cutting and blanking operations.

Aida-America Corp.

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