Metric Ball Lock Pilot Punches Tapered Tip Heavy Duty XN Day

Q: Which steel option (M2 vs PS4) is better for heavy-duty pilot alignment with high cycling?

This series is offered in M2 or PS4 steel. The provided data does not list HRC values, so hardness targets must be confirmed from your supplier heat-treatment/QA documentation. In general, choose based on your required balance of wear resistance and toughness for the punch load and duty cycle, and confirm coating compatibility with your service conditions.

Q: How do I select the correct tapered tip geometry for consistent lead-in in a progressive die?

Use the available P (tip diameter) = 1.45 ~ 30 mm to size the contact envelope for your receiver. Then select L1 (point length) from the provided ranges (e.g., 19–62 , 19–92 , 25–102 , 30–102 mm ) so the tapered guidance engages reliably without bottoming. Pair it with an appropriate overall L (80–110, 80–140, or 80–150 mm) to maintain the intended engagement depth through your stack-up.

Q: What shank diameter range is available, and how should it relate to the guide bore size?

The shank diameter D is specified as 10 ~ 40 mm . Match D to the receiver/guide bore that will support the pilot during punch travel. Because the data does not provide tolerance values, establish your working clearance based on the mating hardened guide tolerance to ensure smooth ball-lock movement and minimize side-load wear.

Q: What benefit does the XN DayTride® coating provide on pilot punch wear surfaces?

The current description specifies that the XN DayTride® coated surface supports stable wear resistance for repeat production and helps reduce friction. This is most relevant at the tapered guidance interface, where repeated contact can otherwise accelerate wear and degrade alignment. Select coating-enabled variants when you expect high duty cycles and want longer service intervals.

Q: When choosing length (L vs L1), how do I prevent insufficient engagement or interference in the tool stack-up?

Use L1 (point length) to define how much tapered tip engagement occurs within the receiver during stroke; ensure L1 is sufficient for stable guidance across your die travel. Then verify overall L (available 80–110 , 80–140 , 80–150 mm ) to prevent interference with surrounding components. Final fit depends on your die height stack-up and receiver depth; confirm clearances with your CAD before tooling build.

Ball Lock Pilot Punches (tapered tip, heavy duty) for metric applications, engineered to guide alignment during punch operations. The XN DayTride® coated surface supports stable wear resistance for repeat production.

Tapered ball-lock pilot tip improves positional guidance for consistent part location
M2 or PS4 steel options with robust hardenable performance
Coating design helps reduce friction and supports longer service intervals
Use in progressive dies and tooling where accurate pilot alignment is required

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Specifications

28 configurations available

Material	D (Shank dia.) (mm)	L1 (Point Length) (mm)	L (Length) (mm)	P (Tip Diameter) (mm)
M2	10	19 ～ 62	80 ～ 110	1.45 ～ 4.99
M2	10	19 ～ 62	80 ～ 110	5 ～ 10
PS4	10	19 ～ 62	80 ～ 110	1.45 ～ 4.99
PS4	10	19 ～ 62	80 ～ 110	5 ～ 10
M2	13	19 ～ 92	80 ～ 140	2.35 ～ 8.99
M2	13	19 ～ 92	80 ～ 140	9 ～ 13
PS4	13	19 ～ 92	80 ～ 140	2.35 ～ 8.99
PS4	13	19 ～ 92	80 ～ 140	9 ～ 13
M2	16	25 ～ 102	80 ～ 150	3.95 ～ 11.99
M2	16	25 ～ 102	80 ～ 150	12 ～ 16
PS4	16	25 ～ 102	80 ～ 150	3.95 ～ 11.99
PS4	16	25 ～ 102	80 ～ 150	12 ～ 16
M2	20	25 ～ 102	80 ～ 150	5.95 ～ 14.99
M2	20	25 ～ 102	80 ～ 150	15 ～ 20
PS4	20	25 ～ 102	80 ～ 150	5.95 ～ 14.99
PS4	20	25 ～ 102	80 ～ 150	15 ～ 20
M2	25	25 ～ 102	80 ～ 150	7.95 ～ 18.99
M2	25	25 ～ 102	80 ～ 150	19 ～ 25
PS4	25	25 ～ 102	80 ～ 150	7.95 ～ 18.99
PS4	25	25 ～ 102	80 ～ 150	19 ～ 25
M2	32	25 ～ 102	80 ～ 150	9.95 ～ 23.99
M2	32	25 ～ 102	80 ～ 150	24 ～ 32
PS4	32	25 ～ 102	80 ～ 150	9.95 ～ 23.99
PS4	32	25 ～ 102	80 ～ 150	24 ～ 32
M2	40	30 ～ 102	80 ～ 150	11.95 ～ 29.99
M2	40	30 ～ 102	80 ～ 150	30 ～ 40
PS4	40	30 ～ 102	80 ～ 150	11.95 ～ 29.99
PS4	40	30 ～ 102	80 ～ 150	30 ～ 40

Product Guide

🏭Application Scenarios+

This heavy-duty ball-lock pilot punch is used in injection and insert tooling to establish repeatable alignment between an upstream forming stage and the final punch cavity. The tapered tip improves lead-in guidance, helping reduce misalignment during high-cycle punch operations.

Automotive connector and terminal housings: Use as a pilot in progressive dies to maintain consistent positioning of small features, where wear-stable guidance improves dimensional stability across production runs.
Appliance and consumer electronics housings: Suitable for multi-step tooling because the ball-lock guidance supports stable part location even when feed accuracy varies slightly.
Medical device component housings: Recommended where consistent alignment reduces scrap risk; the XN DayTride® coating helps limit friction and supports longer service intervals under frequent cycling.

Available steel options and the coating make this variant well-suited for guided alignment in tooling that demands reliable pilot repeatability.

🔧Material & Process Details+

This product is supplied in M2 or PS4 steel, both designed for durable, hardenable performance in pilot punching applications. When selecting between them, consider performance and toughness needs: M2 typically supports higher hot-work abrasion resistance, while PS4 is chosen when robust toughness and stable wear behavior are prioritized for tooling cycles.

M2: AISI M2 equivalent; commonly used with quench-and-temper heat treatment to reach high hardness and strong wear resistance.
PS4: Tool steel grade available for hardened performance; heat-treated to achieve a balanced hardness/toughness level for punching and alignment components.
XN DayTride® coating: Surface treatment that helps reduce friction and improves wear life at the guided contact interface.

Exact hardness in HRC is not specified in the provided data; final hardness should be verified per the delivered lot and coating/heat-treatment specification to match your press load and duty cycle.

📐Sizing & Selection Guide+

To select the correct pilot punch dimensions, match the shank diameter D, the overall length L, and the tip geometry to your mold/tooling layout and guide requirements. This series offers D = 10 ~ 40 mm and P (tip diameter) = 1.45 ~ 30 mm, with multiple point-length options to fit different cavity depths.

Match D to the guide hole/receiver: Choose the shank diameter within 10–40 mm that corresponds to the mating guide bore in your tool block.
Set engagement using L1 (point length): Select L1 from 19–62, 19–92, 25–102, or 30–102 mm to ensure sufficient tapered guidance without bottoming.
Confirm reach using L: Overall length is available as 80–110, 80–140, or 80–150 mm depending on configuration.
Tolerance/fit: Use the provided metric dimensions as selection bounds; final clearances should be set by your tool’s hardened receiver tolerance to maintain smooth ball-lock action and prevent side-load wear.

All dimensions in this series are variable, so verify your intended configuration (L1 and L pairing) during design freeze.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which steel option (M2 vs PS4) is better for heavy-duty pilot alignment with high cycling?+

This series is offered in M2 or PS4 steel. The provided data does not list HRC values, so hardness targets must be confirmed from your supplier heat-treatment/QA documentation. In general, choose based on your required balance of wear resistance and toughness for the punch load and duty cycle, and confirm coating compatibility with your service conditions.

How do I select the correct tapered tip geometry for consistent lead-in in a progressive die?+

Use the available P (tip diameter) = 1.45 ~ 30 mm to size the contact envelope for your receiver. Then select L1 (point length) from the provided ranges (e.g., 19–62, 19–92, 25–102, 30–102 mm) so the tapered guidance engages reliably without bottoming. Pair it with an appropriate overall L (80–110, 80–140, or 80–150 mm) to maintain the intended engagement depth through your stack-up.

What shank diameter range is available, and how should it relate to the guide bore size?+

The shank diameter D is specified as 10 ~ 40 mm. Match D to the receiver/guide bore that will support the pilot during punch travel. Because the data does not provide tolerance values, establish your working clearance based on the mating hardened guide tolerance to ensure smooth ball-lock movement and minimize side-load wear.

What benefit does the XN DayTride® coating provide on pilot punch wear surfaces?+

The current description specifies that the XN DayTride® coated surface supports stable wear resistance for repeat production and helps reduce friction. This is most relevant at the tapered guidance interface, where repeated contact can otherwise accelerate wear and degrade alignment. Select coating-enabled variants when you expect high duty cycles and want longer service intervals.

When choosing length (L vs L1), how do I prevent insufficient engagement or interference in the tool stack-up?+

Use L1 (point length) to define how much tapered tip engagement occurs within the receiver during stroke; ensure L1 is sufficient for stable guidance across your die travel. Then verify overall L (available 80–110, 80–140, 80–150 mm) to prevent interference with surrounding components. Final fit depends on your die height stack-up and receiver depth; confirm clearances with your CAD before tooling build.