Metric Ball Lock Pilot Punches - Tapered Tip

Ball-lock pilot punches with a tapered tip are used to lock and repeatedly align die sets in stamping and press tooling. The tapered nose guides the punch into the mating bushing or die opening, reducing the risk of off-center entry during high-cycle operation.

Common scenarios include progressive stamping die locating, where stable pilot engagement is required to maintain registration across multiple forming stations. They are also used for transfer and compound die assemblies that need consistent part-to-die positioning over long production runs.

• Heavy-duty die locating: favored when wear resistance and dimensional stability are critical for repeated alignment.
• Metric die layouts: suited for metric toolchains because the shank diameter and tip geometry are provided in metric ranges.
• Guidance during press stroke: the tapered tip improves center guidance and supports accurate punch alignment.

Choosing the available M2 or PS4 steel variants helps match abrasive wear resistance and service life needs for your specific press and die environment.

The product is offered in M2 and PS4 steel options. M2 is a high-speed steel grade commonly selected for wear resistance and stable performance under repetitive contact, helping maintain pilot geometry during production.

• M2 option: engineered for improved abrasion resistance; typically suited to long-running alignment features where wear control is a priority.
• PS4 option: selected as an alternative steel choice when you want different hardness/toughness balance for your loading conditions.

In mold/tool practice, these pilot punches are generally manufactured by machining the shank and tapered tip from the selected steel, then applying a heat treatment appropriate to the grade (commonly quench-and-temper for hardened tool steels) to achieve the target hardness.

Trade-off: higher hardness improves wear resistance, but excessive hardening can reduce toughness. Selecting between M2 and PS4 helps tune the wear-versus-impact tolerance for die locating duty.

To select the correct metric ball-lock pilot punch dimensions, match the shank diameter (D) to the mating bushing or locating bore in your die set. The available D range is 10–40 mm, so choose the punch with the same shank size as the die’s locating system.

Next, choose tip geometry and engagement length based on required guidance and stack-up. The point length (L1) is available in ranges of 19–62 mm, 19–92 mm, 25–102 mm, and 30–102 mm. The tip diameter (P) spans 1.45–30 mm, which must correspond to the receiving feature’s allowable clearance and wear allowance.

• Overall length (L): select from 80–110 mm, 80–140 mm, or 80–150 mm to suit press travel and die thickness.
• Tolerance/fit: use the same functional diameter and typical pilot fit strategy as your die locating standard; maintain consistent clearance to prevent binding and minimize wear.
• Configurable vs. fixed: material and D/L1/P/L are configurable within the provided ranges; pick the exact combination that matches your locating system envelope.