Inch Ball Lock Pilot Punches - Tapered Tip, Heavy Duty

These inch ball-lock pilot punches are used in injection mold and die tooling where the tool must locate with high repeatability at machine start, during cavity/core changes, or between short production runs.

• Automotive and appliance connector molds: The tapered tip supports controlled entry into the mating pocket, helping reduce misalignment that can otherwise lead to cosmetic flash or short shots. The heavy-duty, inch format and ball-lock system improve stability during high-cycle stripping and forming.
• Multi-cavity housings and threaded component assemblies: When alignment consistency affects gate integrity and post-machining fit, the ball-lock feature provides a repeatable “lock-in” start. M2 steel helps maintain dimensional stability under repeated loading.
• Wear-prone forming/trim stations: The XNM coating is suited for tooling interfaces that experience sliding contact, supporting longer service intervals and more consistent pilot performance.

This series is available in M2 (and PS4 as an alternate). M2 is a high-speed steel equivalent to AISI M2, typically used for punching and precision locating components that require high hardness and good wear resistance.

• Hardness (M2): Usually supplied as quenched and tempered to a high-hardness condition suitable for locating punches; exact HRC depends on supplier heat-treatment, but it is selected for wear resistance while retaining toughness to resist chipping.
• Wear resistance: The XNM coating further improves surface durability at the pilot interface, reducing galling and abrasion during repeated lock-in/withdraw cycles.
• Toughness trade-off: Higher hardness improves wear life but can reduce impact toughness—important when tools see shock loads during clamp/open cycles.
• Comparison (PS4): PS4 offers an alternative steel option for customers who prefer different balancing of hardness, wear behavior, and cost; final selection should follow expected contact stress and cycle rate.

Select the pilot punch dimensions by matching the shank diameter and pilot lengths to the mating ball-lock pocket and guide features in your mold base.

• Shank diameter (D): Choose from the specified range 37 ~ 125 in based on the required locating stiffness and pocket size in the moving assembly.
• Point/pilot length options (L and coded ranges): Available coded inch lengths include 250 ~ 600, 250 ~ 700, 275 ~ 700, and 300 ~ 700. Use the closest range that ensures the tapered tip provides full engagement for reliable lock-in without bottoming out.
• Point length variants (B/C/D): The data lists B & L and C / D coded inch options across the same length families; confirm which dimension controls engagement depth in your design drawings.
• P dimension (contact/locating feature): Available P = 0.083 ~ 0.999—match this to the required clearance/fit in the pocket.

Verify tolerance and fit requirements between punch and pocket (play for assembly vs. minimum clearance for repeatability). If your interface uses tighter running clearance, prioritize the correct P value and confirm the effective engagement length for stable cycle-to-cycle location.