M2 Steel Ball Lock Pilot Punches - Round Tip, Light Duty, In

Ball lock pilot punches are used to establish precise, repeatable locating between die components during press operations. With this M2-steel, round-tip configuration and a wear-focused CRN coating, the punch is well suited for light-duty inch progressive dies where consistent guidance is needed across many press cycles.

• Progressive stamping and transfer dies: The ball-lock pilot helps maintain alignment of strip positioning and die stages; the CRN coating supports stable wear resistance as parts cycle.
• Die alignment fixtures and setup jigs: The round tip supports reliable seating for repeatable positioning during tooling changeovers.
• Low-to-moderate load die tooling: M2 steel provides a practical balance of hardness for locating features while keeping toughness appropriate for lighter press duty.

Use the available shank diameter and point-length coding to match your cavity/core spacing and ensure proper engagement without over-travel.

This variant uses M2 steel (also commonly referenced as an AISI M2 equivalent tool steel), engineered for cutting-tool style performance adapted to pilot locating components. The key durability feature is the CRN coating, selected to improve surface wear resistance under repeated sliding/impact contact during press cycling.

In typical mold/die practice for M2-based pilot tooling, the steel is supplied in a heat-treated state and then finished for form. Depending on supplier process, M2 is generally treated to achieve high hardness while retaining acceptable toughness; exact HRC is not specified in the provided data.

• Wear resistance: strengthened by the CRN surface to reduce adhesive and abrasive wear on the locating tip and ball-lock area.
• Toughness trade-off: higher hardness improves wear but can reduce resistance to edge chipping; matching duty to the “light-duty” intended application helps manage this balance.
• Material options: PS4 is listed as an available alternative in the series; select based on your durability and cost targets, while keeping the coating consistent for wear performance.

Select the pilot punch dimensions by matching the shank diameter and the coded point lengths to your die clearance and locating requirements. The shank diameter D is available from 25 ~ 100 in (as coded in the listing), so choose the diameter that fits your guide holes or leader bushings without excessive clearance.

Next, match the point length / length codes to the engagement depth between the upper and lower die elements. Available configurations include: 200 ~ 500, 200 ~ 600, 200 ~ 700, and 225 ~ 700 (and corresponding point length B & L ranges such as 225 ~ 500, 225 ~ 600, 225 ~ 700, with additional C variants like 225 ~ 600 and 225 ~ 700). A fixed option is also listed at 250 ~ 700.

• Fit considerations: keep enough lateral clearance for smooth ball locking while preventing side play that can misalign progressive stages.
• Tolerances: follow your die-hole spec for pilot seating; the listed P dimension (0.05 ~ 0.749 in) should be matched to your designed engagement feature location.

If you share cavity/core spacing and hole diameters, you can map the correct D and coded length choice to the required engagement height.