Method of making a thin die to be used in a press

Abstract

Disclosed is a thin die adapted to be used in a press. The die disclosed herein includes a base or backing portion that provides rigidity to the die assembly. The base includes an indentation defining a boarder around the peripheral edge of the base. A thin die is housed in the indentation of the base and the thin die is adhered to the indentation of the base by an adhesive. The thin die is positioned in the indentation of the base so that raised portions of the thin die are facing away from the indentation in the base to allow the thin die to cut into a sheet material. Ejection foam is adhered to the raised portion side of the thin die by an adhesive so that the ejection foam protects the raised portion of the thin die and provides an ejection means of the cut shape out of the sheet material. Also disclosed is a die and press system utilizing the thin die disclosed herein. Included in the system is a die press, which may be a platen die press or a roller die press. The die press includes a cutting pad that allows the die to cut through the sheet material and into the cutting pad, if a platen die press is used. The system further includes a thin die adapted to be used with a die press. The thin die includes a base portion, a thin die portion, and an ejection foam portion, wherein the base portion and the ejection foam portion sandwich the thin die portion so that the thin die is located in an indentation located in the base and is adhered to the base by an adhesive. Further, the ejection foam portion is adhered to the thin die portion so as to protect raised portions of the thin die portion. The ejection foam protects the raised portions of the thin die portion and acts as an ejection means to eject the cut shapes from the sheet material.

1 . A method of making a thin die, comprising the steps of: 
 providing a steel material;    chemical etching a near net shape in one side of the steel material so that the steel material has a first flat side and a second side that includes a raised cutting portion;    fixing the steel die into a base so that the first flat side of the steel material is adhered to the base; and    adhering an ejection foam to the second side of the steel material so that the ejection foam covers the chemical etched shape.    
   
   
       2 . The method of making a thin die according to  claim 1 , wherein the steel material is exposed to a secondary etching step.  
   
   
       3 . The method of making a thin die according to  claim 2 , wherein the chemical etching step is approximately 15 to 30 minutes long, and more preferably 15 to 25 minutes long.  
   
   
       4 . The method of making a thin die according to  claim 2 , wherein the secondary etching step is approximately 10 to 30 seconds long and, more preferably, is approximately 15 to 20 seconds long.  
   
   
       5 . The method of making a thin die according to  claim 1 , wherein the resulting thin die includes a raised cutting portion that is approximately 0.001 inches to approximately 0.008 inches wide.  
   
   
       6 . The method of making a thin die according to  claim 2 , wherein a laminated film is adhered to the raised and cutting portion of the thin dye to prevent the chemical etching solution to etch away that portion of the thin die.  
   
   
       7 . The method of making a thin die according to  claim 6 , wherein the laminating film is removed prior to the thin die being exposed to the secondary etching step.  
   
   
       8 . The method of making a thin die according to  claim 2 , wherein the method includes a rinsing step after the secondary etching step.  
   
   
       9 . A method of making a thin die, comprising the steps of: 
 providing a steel material;    chemical etching a near net shape in one side of the steel material so that the steel material has a first flat side and a second side that includes a raised cutting portion;    exposing at least the second side of the steel material to a secondary etching step;    fixing the steel die into a base so that the first flat side of the steel material is adhered to the base; and    adhering an ejection foam to the second side of the steel material so that the ejection foam covers the chemical etched shape.