Ironing

A drawing operation that thins and smooths a cup wall to a precise, uniform thickness.

What it means on the floor

Ironing forces a drawn cup through a die gap narrower than the wall thickness, squeezing the wall thinner and to a controlled dimension while increasing wall height. It is how beverage cans get their thin, uniform walls.

Ironing demands good lubrication and tooling because of the high contact pressures involved.

Category: Forming

Applying the term

Interpret Ironing in the context of the drawing, governing standard, and customer requirement in front of you — the same word can carry different limits in design, quality, and production documents. Check whether a stated value is nominal, minimum, maximum, or reference-only, and whether it applies before forming, after forming, or after heat treatment.

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