Ball Lock Pilot Punches - Tapered Tip Light Duty Inch

These tapered-tip, light-duty ball lock pilot punches are used in injection tooling to establish repeatable die-to-die alignment and reduce the initial locating shock during closing. The tapered nose improves guided entry, helping stabilize positioning in light-duty progressive and transfer dies where start-up force must be kept low.

• Progressive die pilot stations: Use the inch locating body to maintain consistent registration across multiple press cycles.
• Die sets for thin-wall or light assemblies: The tapered geometry supports smooth guidance, which is beneficial when parts require controlled, low-deflection positioning.
• Multi-cavity alignment: Pair the appropriate point length to maintain steady centering for reliable cavity/core repeatability.

Built with M2 or PS4 options, the punches are suited to tooling environments that need hardened wear resistance at the locating interface. For die makers targeting accurate setup and consistent ball lock engagement, this variant helps deliver stable guided alignment without excessive insertion force.

Material is offered in M2 and PS4 for the locating interface. M2 is a high-speed steel option commonly selected for a balance of hardness and wear resistance, supporting longer service life on pilot features. PS4 is provided as an alternative steel choice per the available variant list, enabling designers to select based on their tooling usage and procurement preference.

• Wear vs. toughness trade-off: Hardened steels improve abrasion resistance at the tapered tip/ball lock area, but overly aggressive hardness can reduce impact toughness. Choose the variant that matches your cycle load and alignment severity.
• Heat treatment state: The product description indicates hardened wear resistance for tooling use, implying a heat-treated condition suitable for repeated press cycles.
• Manufacturing process: These pilot punches are machined to the specified inch shank diameter and point/length geometry, then heat-treated to achieve the hardened wear surface needed for consistent locating.

Select dimensions by matching the shank diameter D and the point/length configuration to your mold’s pilot bushings and locating seats. The shank diameter range is specified as D = 0.3750" (37), 0.5000" (50), 0.6250" (62), 0.7500" (75), 0.8750" (87), or 1.0000" (100), so pick the diameter that matches the receiving pilot station clearance and guide bore.

• Choose the correct length band: Standard point length & L is coded 250–600 or 250–700 (with corresponding B/L listings).
• When using fixed configuration: The fixed “D Point Length B & L” option is specified as 275–700, which you should align with your required projected working length in the mold.
• Match geometry to ball lock engagement: Ensure your assembly supports the ball lock pilot function and that the selected point length provides proper engagement without bottoming.

Dimension P is given as 0.083 ~ 0.749 in; use it to confirm the locating projection/step relative to the mating die components. If your system has tight clearance requirements, verify fit by measuring the mating bore and using the closest available coded length.