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The TRUMPF Close to clamp slitting tool
1.Close to clamp design. It can cut sheet metal near clamp
2.Very tight clearance between insert and stripper. Fully give insert support. Extend insert life
3.Preload spring inside punch assembly, No need stripper again.
4.Die special design, with double relief.
PU Slitting consisting of punch body,PU stripper,bolts
The TRUMPF PU slitting Min.Width 6.35mm, Max length 56mm. work for 2mm Mild steel and 1.5mm stainless steel
Rectangle,Oblong,Dovetail and trapezoid available
The concept of TRUMPF "Close to Clamp" Tooling refers less to a specific tool and more to a machine capability
enabled by sophisticated features of the TRUMPF punch press and its tooling system.
The main objective is to minimize the unmachinable area (or "dead zone") near the sheet metal clamps.
Function: Minimizing the Dead Zone
In a standard punch press, the workpiece clamps (which hold the sheet metal on the table) create an area around
themselves where the punch tool cannot operate, as the punch body would collide with the clamp mechanism.
This is known as the clamp dead area.
TRUMPF's close-to-clamp capabilities are designed to overcome this limitation, allowing the machine to punch or
nibble holes much closer to the edge of the sheet and closer to the clamps themselves.
Enabling Features
This capability is achieved through a combination of machine and tool design:
1. Repositioning and Clamping Mechanisms
Automatic Repositioning: TRUMPF machines feature automatic and highly efficient repositioning cycles. When the
clamps reach the edge of the working area, the machine automatically lifts the clamps, rapidly shifts the sheet metal
back into the working area, and then re-clamps it. This is a standard feature that allows large sheets to be processed.
Small-Footprint Clamps: The clamps themselves are designed to be as compact and narrow as possible. This inherently
reduces the physical space needed to grip the material, shrinking the unworkable zone.
2. Special Tooling (The "Close-to-Clamp" Tool)
While not a standard catalog tool, specialized or modified slitting tools or nibbling tools are used for this final, critical operation.
Nibbling Near the Clamp: The final features right next to the clamp dead zone are often processed via nibbling (making a
series of overlapping small hits) rather than a single punch.
Clamp Cutout: The custom tool body (often a narrow slitting tool) is sometimes specially designed with a cutout or shape
that physically allows the punch body to pass closer to the clamp arm than a standard round tool would. This specialized
geometry is the key to minimizing the clearance distance.
3.Software Control
Integrated Programming: The machine's control (CNC) and programming software (like TRUMPF's TruTops Punch) are fully
aware of the clamp positions and geometries. The software automatically programs the optimal repositioning moves and
uses the "close-to-clamp" tool only for the areas where standard tools cannot reach.
Primary Advantage
The main advantage of close-to-clamp tooling is maximum material utilization and minimum waste.
Reduced Skeleton/Scrap: By processing the sheet metal closer to the clamps, the remaining metal frame (the "skeleton")
is made smaller. This reduces material scrap and, therefore, the cost of the finished part.
Increased Part Output: For long, narrow parts, being able to utilize the material right up to the clamp line can sometimes
allow an extra row of parts to be nested onto the sheet, directly increasing productivity.
