RECENT DEVELOPMENTS AND DESIGN OF TOOLS FOR PUNCHING AND CUTTING

Intensive utilization of computers is especially emphasized in the field of industrial production, where use of computer applications achieves significant savings in regard to the time required for manufacturing of products. Shortening of the production time decreases the production costs and new products are faster introduced to the market, thus making the company more competitive. In addition to the shorter time for production, better precision and accuracy is also accomplished, resulting with better product quality at the end. Due to the fact that, for the reason of cost-effectiveness of manufacturing of tools, processing of sheet metal on presses is primarily performed in the course of serial production, this paper focuses on an analysis of the use of computers in the process of design of tools for punching and cutting of sheet metal on presses. The presented methodology encompasses all phases in the process of design of tools – from planning the work piece until the final design of the tool for punching and cutting, with an emphasis on the activities performed exclusively by computer applications. The result of this research is a 3D geometrical model of a tool for punching and cutting, with an explanation of characteristics of its construction parts, calculation of its executive parts, analysis and simulation of operation of the tool, and finally the conclusion on the representation and importance of the utilization of computer applications in the process of design of such tools.