M2 Steel Ball Lock Pilot Punches Round Tip Light Duty Inch,

These light-duty inch ball lock pilot punches are used in injection-mold tooling primarily when you need repeatable mold component alignment under frequent cycling. Their ball-lock mechanism helps maintain concentric positioning between tooling halves, reducing the risk of misalignment-related part defects.

• Progressive die and stamping fixtures: The round tip supports consistent locating during progressive operations, where quick indexing and repeated press cycles demand stable wear performance from the CRN-coated surface.
• Die alignment and transfer systems: Choose this variant when pilot guidance must stay dependable over repeated setup changes. The M2 steel body provides rigidity for light-duty setups while the coating helps limit wear at the locating interface.
• Robotic or automated handling assist tooling: For fixtures that frequently re-dock and align, the ball-lock pilot design improves positional repeatability, helping maintain stable stack-up control.

This pilot punch is available in M2 steel (also offered as PS4 per the provided material options). M2 is a high-speed steel grade known for good wear resistance and adequate toughness for precision locating features under cycling loads.

• Coating (CRN): A durable CRN coating is specified to improve sliding/impact wear resistance at the pilot interface, supporting stable performance across repeated press cycles.
• Heat treatment (typical for M2 pilots): M2 components are commonly quenched and tempered after machining to achieve a practical balance of hardness and toughness for tool steel punches.
• Trade-off vs. PS4: Both materials target wear-focused tooling performance; the selection between M2 and PS4 is typically based on desired hardness/wear balance for your duty cycle and alignment load profile.

Select sizing by matching the pilot shank diameter and point geometry to your press-fit / locating requirements in the mold or die plate. The shank diameter D is specified in the range 25 ~ 100 in, so choose the smallest D that still provides stable alignment for the cavity/core stack-up.

• Point length / engagement: Standard point length & L (coded inch) is available as 200 ~ 500, 200 ~ 600, 200 ~ 700, or 225 ~ 700. Use these lengths to ensure adequate engagement without bottoming in the receiving bushing.
• Ball-lock point lengths: B & L coded ranges include 225 ~ 500, 225 ~ 600, 225 ~ 700, and C ranges include 225 ~ 600 or 225 ~ 700.
• Fixed length option: A fixed coded range is also given as 250 ~ 700, which simplifies selection when you must standardize engagement depth.

For the P dimension (0.05 ~ 0.749), match the locating geometry to your mating hole/bushing to maintain repeatability; confirm allowable clearance/tolerance in your tooling drawings to prevent binding or excessive play.