M2 Steel Ball Lock Pilot Punches - Round Tip with XAN DayTAN

Ball-lock pilot punches are used to register tooling and stabilize part transfer during injection molding and press-die style alignment workflows where repeatable cavity/core positioning is critical.

• Inch-based automotive connector or sensor housing molds: the round tip supports consistent start contact during indexing, helping maintain locate accuracy over repeated setup cycles in light-duty tooling.
• Appliance and consumer electronics enclosure molds: M2-steel pilot construction provides durable, wear-resistant guidance at the punch point, reducing alignment variability when tools are cycled frequently.
• Medical device accessory fixtures (light-duty cavities): the XAN DayTAN™ coating promotes smoother sliding at the locating interface, which helps preserve reliable pilot engagement during short-to-medium production runs.

Choose the M2 variant with XAN DayTAN™ when you need dependable pilot positioning for inch tooling, where stable centering and smooth contact are more important than extreme heavy-load wear life.

This series is available in M2 steel (and also PS4 as an alternate material option), intended for light-duty pilot locating components. M2 is a high-speed steel class known for strong wear resistance and good hardness retention at the cutting/interaction surfaces of tooling.

• M2 steel: typically heat-treated to a hard condition suitable for wear service; hardness is commonly in the ~HRC 60 range for high-speed steel punches, balancing wear resistance with sufficient toughness to avoid chipping during alignment shocks.
• XAN DayTAN™ coating: enhances surface performance at the punch point by improving sliding friction behavior during repeated engagement.
• PS4 (alternative): offered for variation in material strategy; when selected, it can be used where its specific hardness/toughness balance better matches the application load profile.

As with most wear surfaces, there is a trade-off between hardness (wear resistance) and toughness (impact resistance), so select the steel variant and coating based on your expected indexing forces.

To select the correct ball-lock pilot punch dimensions, match the shank diameter D and the coded point length to the mating pilot hole depth and the required engagement length for your mold tooling.

• Shank diameter D (in): choose within 25 ~ 100 (in designation as provided in the specification set) to fit the corresponding guide/bushing or locating bore for stable centering.
• Point length & L (coded inch): the standard point length/length options include 200 ~ 500, 200 ~ 600, 200 ~ 700, and 225 ~ 700, with additional coded ranges for B and C.
• Fixed range constraint: for the variant where D point length is specified as 250 ~ 700, ensure your cavity/core depth requires that minimum engagement.

Also verify the P dimension (in) within 0.05 ~ 0.749 to maintain the intended step/clearance relationship for proper ball-lock engagement. If your tooling drawing specifies fit classes (clearance vs. interference), confirm the shank diameter selection to prevent binding during alignment.