Stamping molds can be divided into Stage Die, Compound Die and Progressive Die according to the degree of process combination.
Stage Die
Stage die is also called a single punch die, which refers to a die in which the press only completes one process (such as punching, bending, forming, etc.) at one station in one stamping stroke. A sheet metal part requires one or more sets of stage dies to complete the stamping. The more complex the part, the more stage die sets required.
Compound Die
Compound die refers to a die in which the press completes multiple stamping processes simultaneously at one station in one stroke. A typical compound die is a punching and blanking compound die. The mold completes the punching and blanking processes at the same station.
Progressive Die
Progressive die refers to a punching die in which the press completes multiple processes at several different stations simultaneously in one stamping stroke. Some sheet metal parts only require one set of progressive die to complete stamping. For mass-produced sheet metal, it would be inefficient to process single-process molds by manually loading strips on different presses. If the volume of processing can justify the additional tooling expense, then it is usually reasonable to use a multi-station mold on a single press. Stations in the mold enable different punching, forming and shearing operations as the sheet material is advanced through the mold. To achieve the progressive movement, sheet metal is purchased in rolls of the required width and automatically fed through the die via a roll feed device installed next to the punch. Progressive die is generally for small parts, generally no larger than the size of one hand. If it is for large parts, a very large press will be needed.