What is piercing in sheet metal?
Related Terms
Punching vs Blanking
In punching, the punched-out piece is the scrap (called a slug) and the sheet with holes is the product. In blanking, the punched-out piece is the product (the blank) and the surrounding sheet is scrap.
Blanking
Blanking is a stamping process where a punch forces metal through a die to cut out a flat shape — the blank — from a sheet. The blank is the desired part; the surrounding sheet is the scrap.
Stamping
Metal stamping is a manufacturing process that uses presses and dies to cut, bend, and shape flat metal blanks into finished parts. It is used for high-volume production of automotive, appliance, and electronic components.
Slug
In stamping, a slug is the scrap piece punched out from the sheet when a hole is made — it is the waste, not the product. Do not confuse with a blank, which is the desired piece.