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Views: 0 Author: Site Editor Publish Time: 2025-07-26 Origin: Site
In the field of washing machine manufacturing, the inner drum, as a core component, directly affects the performance and service life of the washing machine. The technological innovation of stamping dies for inner drum sheets has not only promoted the progress of inner drum manufacturing processes but also provided more considerations for washing machine manufacturers in equipment selection. This article will introduce the evolution of stamping dies for washing machine inner drum sheets in detail and provide references for customers in choosing stamping dies from dimensions such as cost and efficiency.
In the early stage of washing machine inner drum production, single-operation dies dominated. These dies have a simple structure and can only complete one stamping process in one stroke of the press, such as pure punching, blanking, or bending. Taking the punching process as an example, the die only has a punch and die for punching. A metal sheet is placed on the die, and the press drives the punch downward to cut out the required holes.
In Terms of Cost
Single-operation dies have low design and manufacturing costs. A set of simple single-operation dies usually costs between 5,000 and 30,000 yuan. The matching ordinary press is also affordable, generally ranging from 100,000 to 300,000 yuan. The initial equipment investment is small, making it suitable for small enterprises with limited funds.
In Terms of Efficiency
Production efficiency is extremely low. Since an inner drum requires multiple processes to complete, dies need to be replaced and workpieces moved between each process. The hourly output of a single device is usually 50–100 pieces. Moreover, the accumulation of positioning errors between processes leads to poor dimensional accuracy of the inner drum and a high scrap rate, generally 3%–5%. For example, the water-repellent holes and washing ribs on early washing machine inner drums needed to be stamped on different dies separately, which not only resulted in low efficiency but also large relative position deviations between holes and ribs.
With technological development, compound dies emerged. They can complete multiple stamping processes simultaneously in one stroke of the press at the same station, such as blanking and punching compounding, drawing and punching compounding, etc. Taking the processing of the bottom of the washing machine inner drum as an example, a compound die can complete blanking and bottom punching in one stamping, reducing the number of workpiece handling and repositioning operations.
In Terms of Cost
Compound dies have a complex structure and high design and manufacturing difficulty, so their cost is much higher than that of single-operation dies. A set of compound dies costs approximately 50,000–150,000 yuan, and the matching medium-precision press ranges from 300,000 to 800,000 yuan. The overall initial investment is higher than that of the single-operation die combination but lower than that of the progressive die combination.
In Terms of Efficiency
Compared with single-operation dies, compound dies significantly improve production efficiency. The hourly output of a single device can reach 150–300 pieces, and the production cycle is greatly shortened. Since multiple processes are completed on the same die, workpiece positioning is accurate, dimensional accuracy is significantly improved, and the scrap rate is reduced to 1%–3%. However, once a compound die fails, the maintenance difficulty and downtime increase significantly, which will affect the production progress to a certain extent.
The emergence of progressive dies (continuous dies) has completely changed the production mode of washing machine inner drums. They are equipped with multiple stations along the blank feeding direction, and different stations can sequentially complete multiple stamping processes in one stroke of the press. Taking the processing of inner drum wall blanks as an example, progressive dies can sequentially complete processes such as punching, trimming, and rib pressing, realizing continuous automated production.
In Terms of Cost
Progressive dies require a huge initial investment. A set of high-precision progressive dies usually costs 500,000 yuan. They have extremely high requirements for press accuracy, stability, and automation. However, from the perspective of long-term mass production, the die allocation cost per product will gradually decrease.
In Terms of Efficiency
Progressive dies greatly improve production efficiency, with stamping speeds of dozens or even hundreds of times per minute. The hourly output of a single device can reach 500–1,000 pieces, making them suitable for large-scale mass production. At the same time, through precision feeding devices and die positioning systems, the dimensional accuracy of the inner drum can reach ±0.1mm or higher, ensuring good product consistency. In addition, progressive dies can effectively improve material utilization, which is generally 5%–10% higher than that of single-operation dies, thereby reducing production costs.
(I) Production Scale
Small-batch production: Single-operation dies and simple compound dies matched with ordinary presses can meet the needs. The equipment investment is small, and die replacement is flexible, making them suitable for new product trial production or small-order production. The single-operation die combination can meet the monthly output demand of thousands of pieces, and the compound die combination can handle a monthly output of 10,000–30,000 pieces.
Medium-batch production: Compound dies matched with medium-precision presses are more appropriate, as they can ensure a certain production efficiency while controlling costs. They can meet the monthly output demand of 30,000–100,000 pieces.
Large-batch production: Progressive dies must be paired with high-speed, high-precision automated presses to achieve efficient and stable large-scale production, which can meet the monthly output demand of more than 100,000 pieces.
(II) Product Precision Requirements
Ordinary precision products: For products with a precision requirement of ±0.3mm or higher, compound dies or progressive dies matched with ordinary precision presses can meet the requirements.
High-precision products: For products with a precision requirement of ±0.1mm or lower, such as high-end washing machine inner drums, high-precision progressive dies and precision presses are required, and the press slider accuracy, parallelism, and other indicators must meet corresponding standards.
(III) Cost Budget
Equipment procurement cost: Single-operation dies and ordinary presses have the lowest cost, with an initial investment of about 100,000–300,000 yuan. Compound dies and medium-precision presses are next, with an investment of 300,000–800,000 yuan. Progressive dies and automated dies matched with high-precision automated presses have the highest cost, with an investment of over 1,000,000 yuan.
Stamping dies for washing machine inner drum sheet have undergone tremendous changes in cost and efficiency from early single-operation dies to today's automated dies. Single-operation dies have low costs but low efficiency, suitable for small-batch, low-precision needs. Compound dies have improved efficiency and precision with moderate costs, suitable for medium-batch production. Progressive dies have high efficiency and precision but high costs, suitable for large-scale, high-precision production needs. When choosing stamping dies, customers need to comprehensively consider factors such as production scale, product precision, cost budget, and enterprise technical strength, and select the most suitable equipment and die combination to gain an advantage in the fierce market competition.
