International Journal for Research in Technological Studies| Vol.

1, Issue 7, June 2014 | ISSN (online): 2348-1439

Analysis of Stock Strip Layout for Blanking Operation in Sheet

Metal
Nikhil Chawla1Yati Parjesh2
1, 2
Department of Mechanical Engineering, Shri Baba Mastnath Engineering College,
1, 2
Asthal Bohar, Rohtak, Maharshi Dayanand University, Rohtak, Haryana, India.

Abstract— Sheet Metal Operations is one of the basic

mechanical operations of forming metal into thin, flat
uniform size & required shape part. To name a few sheet
metal operations—shearing, blanking, punching, bending,
embossing, trimming etc are used to produce a variety of
shapes. In this paper, designing of strip layout for blanking
operation has been discussed about. A comparison of
different layouts for single component has been made to
show the relative yield percentage.
Keywords: - Sheet Metal, Strip Layout, Blanking, Scrap
Web, Strip Width, Advance Distance, Yield

I. INTRODUCTION
A variety of parts are manufactured using sheet metal
operations. The first basic operation after shearing of the Fig.1: Scrap Strip Terminology [1]
metal sheet is blanking, wherein the component is blanked TABLE ISCRAP VALUES FOR VARIOUS MAXIMUM
out of a stock strip of metal. So, it is very necessary to DIMENSIONS
design the layout of parts for blanking in such a way that Dimension A Dimension B
maximum possible stock utilization or yield is obtained. A
proper nesting of the parts for blanking operation is a must Maximu General Minimu General Minimum
to produce maximum yield. Even though maximum m m (mm) (mm)
utilization of the stock is necessary, but the shape & size of Dimensio
the part is of the component is of prime importance. So, the n(mm)
strip layout must be designed in such a way that the part Up to 25 1.25T 1.50 1.50T 1.50
obtained is given priority to the yield percentage of the mm
stock.
The various terminologies associated with stock & 26 to 75 1.25T 1.50 1.50T 1.50
scrap strip layout as shown in figure 1 are as below— 76 to 150 1.50T 2.00 1.50T 2.40
1. Feed Direction: It is the direction in which stock strip is 151 to 250 1.75T 2.40 1.75T 3.00
fed in to the die.
2. Lead End: It is the end of the stock strip heading 251 to 400 2.00T 3.00 2.00T 4.75
towards the die. Figure 2 shows the dimensions of the object as
3. Tail End: It is the end of the stock strip opposite to the below--
lead end.
4. Advance: It is the distance moved by the stock strip in
blanking operation between two consecutive strokes of
the machine.
5. Scrap Bridge: Scrap Bridge is the distance between the
peripheries of two consecutive blanks. It is very
necessary as it joins & separates the boundaries of two
consecutive parts.
6. Stock Width: It is the width of the strip in vertical
direction from which blanks are blanked out.
7. Front & Back Scrap: It is the scrap width in front &
back of the blank.
The scrap or stock web to be left on the scrap strip
for effective blanking operation depends on the type of
blanking, thickness of the sheet, width of the strip,
dimension or size of the component & contour of the
blanked shape. The table below shows the values of scrap Fig.2: Component Dimension
web allowance for various sizes of the parallel edged Figure 3 shows four types of strip layout for blanking
component. operation for the same component.
Sheet Metal stock is obtained usually in the form of
rolls but when in cut sheet, the usual size is

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 Analysis of Stock Strip Layout for Blanking Operation in Sheet Metal
(IJRTS/Vol. 1/Issue 7/June. 2014)

1250X2500sq.mm. So, we too have taken the cut sheet for  Area of total no. of blanks = 528 * 1800 = 950400 sq.
our calculation. Before discussing on each of the options mm
shown in figure 3 above, the common aspects for each  Therefore, % utilization of stock or Yield %
option are— = 950400/ 3125000 = 30.41%
1) Area of the Cross-section of 1 Component
= (50*10) + (80*10) + (50*10) = 1800 sq. mm
2) Area of 1 sheet = 1250*2500 = 3125000 sq. mm
3) Thickness of Sheet = 2mm
The various options are worked as below to find to
find the yield percentage of each of the method—
A. Option 1
 Maximum Dimension of the component = 100mm
 From Table, for maximum dimension of 100mm,
Scrap Web = 1.5(T) = 1.5*2 = 3mm
 Therefore, maximum dimension with 2 components
= 100+3+10 = 113mm
 Advance Length = 113+3 = 116mm
 No. of blanks per strip = 1250/116 = 10.77566 ~~ 10
blanks
 But, 2 in number, therefore no. of blanks = 2*10 = 20
 Strip Width = 50 + 1.5(T) + 10 + 1.5(T) + 1.5(T) =
69mm
 No. of strips per sheet = (2500/ Strip Width) = 2500/69
= 36.23188 ~~ 36 strips
 Thus, total number of blanks per sheet = 20*36 = 720
 Area of total no. of blanks = 720 * 1800 = 1296000 sq.
mm
 Therefore, % utilization of stock or Yield %
= 1296000/ 3125000 = 41.47%
B. Option 2
 Maximum Dimension of the component = 100mm
 From Table, for maximum dimension of 100mm,
Scrap Web = 1.5(T) = 1.5*2 = 3mm
 Advance Length = 100+3 = 103mm
 No. of blanks per strip = (1250/103) + (1250/103) – 1
~~ 12+12-1 = 23 blanks
 Strip Width = 50 + 1.5(T) + 10 + 1.5(T) + 1.5(T) =
69mm
 No. of strips per sheet = (2500/ Strip Width) = 2500/69
= 36.23188 ~~ 36 strips
 Thus, total number of blanks per sheet = 23*36 = 828
 Area of total no. of blanks = 828 * 1800 = 1490400 sq.
mm
 Therefore, % utilization of stock or Yield %
= 1490400/ 3125000 = 47.69%
C. Option 3
 Maximum Dimension of the component = 100mm
 From Table, for maximum dimension of 100mm, Scrap
Web = 1.5(T) = 1.5*2 = 3mm
 Advance Length = 100+3 = 103mm
 No. of blanks per strip = (1250/103) = 12.13592
~~ 12 blanks
 Strip Width = 50 + 1.5(T) + 1.5(T) = 56mm
 No. of strips per sheet = (2500/ Strip Width)
= 2500/56 = 44.64286 ~~ 44 strips
 Thus, total number of blanks per sheet = 12*44
= 528 Fig.3: Various Strip Stock Layout

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 Analysis of Stock Strip Layout for Blanking Operation in Sheet Metal
(IJRTS/Vol. 1/Issue 7/June. 2014)

D. Option 4 blanking.html
 Maximum Dimension of the component = 50mm [8] Sheet Metal- Wikipedia, The free encyclopedia.
 From Table, for maximum dimension of 100mm, Scrap Available: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sheet_metal
Web = 1.25(T) = 1.25*2 = 2.5 ~~ 3mm
 Advance Length = 50+3 = 53mm
 No. of blanks per strip = (1250/53) = 23.58491
~~ 23 blanks
 Strip Width = 100 + 1.25(T) + 1.25(T) = 106mm
 No. of strips per sheet = (2500/ Strip Width)
= 2500/106 = 23.58491 ~~ 23 strips
 Thus, total number of blanks per sheet = 23*23
= 529
 Area of total no. of blanks = 529 * 1800 = 952200 sq.
mm
 Therefore, % utilization of stock or Yield %
= 952200/ 3125000 = 30.47%
Thus, seeing all the 4 options, it can easily be said
that Option 2 is the best as the maximum stock utilization of
about 47.69% is obtained with it. Therefore, option 2 is the
most economical method as far as maximum stock
utilization is concerned.

II. CONCLUSIONS
Stock Strip Layout is a very important step in designing
blanking process in sheet metal operations as the rest of the
operations are performed after the part is blanked out of the
stock strip. So, proper nesting of the strip must be done so as
to obtain maximum yield & less scrap out of the sheet stock.
As is seen here, option 2 was nested by making a third blank
in between 2 blanks. So, maximum yield has been obtained
in it. Here, neither the number of passes to cut the blanks
nor the cost of the die has been discussed, which also are a
significant factor in designing the stock strip layout.

ACKNOWLEDGMENT
I thankfully acknowledge my guide Mr. Amit Budhiraja &
my mentor Mr. Sandeep Rai for guiding me about the
importance of stock strip layout. I thank them for their
valuable guidance & all the well versed writers of the
references for providing a sound platform & basis to be used
for writing this paper.

REFERENCES
[1] P N Rao, Manufacturing Technology: Foundry, Forming
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[2] D. Eugene Ostergaard, Basic Diemaking: Committee of
the National Tooling & Machining Association, 1963.
[3] D. Eugene Ostergaard, Advanced Diemaking: Resources
and Materials of the National Tooling & Machining
Association, 1967.
[4] J.R. Paquin& R.E. Crowley, Die Design
Fundamentals2nd ed., 1967.
[5] S. Kumar and R. Singh, --Automation of strip-layout
design for sheet metal work on progressive die, Journal
of Materials Processing Technology, 195:94-100, 2008.
[6] PRESS TOOLS- Striplayout – Oocities. Available:
http://www.oocities.org/toolanddiemaking/presstools/stri
playout.html
[7] The Tooling University Website. [Online]. Available:
http://www.toolingu.com/definition-400130-15721-

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