Above: The Scratch tool scrapes material into a stop, leaving no holes or marks on the opposite side of the sheet and is available for top-of-sheet or bottom-of-sheet applications.
September, 2025- In an uncertain manufacturing climate, punching technology is holding its own as a competitive choice in sheet metal fabrication. In certain applications, punches can outpace press brakes and laser cu ing systems. Able to produce round holes and features like louvers and extrusions at high speed, the metalworking process can form extrusions, bumps, countersinks and tapping without the secondary operations lasers require. Punching technology is also taking center stage with busbar manufacturers that must meet demand for high-quality products.
Wilson Tool’s busbar tooling, including EHRT style, Vaski style and tooling for MC-40, MC-50, and MP-50 machines, is designed to support various busbar thicknesses and materials.
“Punching is a very mature market,” says Susan Erler, punching product manager for Wilson Tool International. “We are innovating everywhere we can. In the sheet metal market, we innovate tooling around productivity. For the busbar market, we have developed tooling solutions that solve the unique challenges of thick, soft material. They include specially designed spring packs and a range of coating options.”
A busbar is a metallic strip or bar that acts as a central point for distributing electrical power. Made from conductive materials like copper, brass or aluminum, the product dominates key industry clusters such as power generation, automotive, data centers, telecommunications and renewable energy systems. Coatings are used to facilitate stripping and to increase punch life in harsh conditions.
Designed for use in thick turret punching machines, the B-Station HP ABS Punch Holder with EXP insert provides fast and easy tool changes and setups.
PROBLEM SOLVED
“Over the last 18 months, the busbar market has exploded,” says Erler. “One of the ways we are working to give operators greater flexibility is by increasing the number of tools available to them by incorporating multitools. Copper and aluminum are relatively soft and can adhere to the punch surface when the tool penetrates and retracts. We use highgrade tool steel that can stand up to copper and aluminum’s stickiness. We also provide coatings to boost tooling performance. Tooling can be customized with Wilson Tool’s SlipMax, Optima and Wearbeater coatings.”
Wilson Tool provides tooling for such busbar machine manufacturers as Vaski, Boschert and EHRT. Wilson Tool’s EHRTstyle punches and dies are engineered to meet rigid quality and tolerance standards. Its OEM-compatible EHRT products provide four times the grind life with the HP adjustable driver assembly available for both standard-style and multitools.
In-machine tapping allows sheet metal shops to eliminate the need for secondary operations. Wilson Tool’s QuickTap tools are faster and more reliable than conventional manual tapping systems. In the right conditions, the tools can tap up to 200 holes per minute and are available for Thick Turret, Strippit PX and Euromac style machines.
Die setup after sharpening is another area where Wilson Tool has made a crucial maintenance task easier and faster. With conventional tools, when an operator sharpens a die, a shim is added to compensate for the material removed and restore the die to its original working length. Wilson Tool’s shimless die adapter is the only size 1 to size 2 adjustable adapter on the market for Trumpf-style dies. An operator can measure die thickness, adjust the shimless die adapter to the desired setting, reinsert the die and begin punching.
Wilson Tool’s patented EXP holders for thick turret tooling feature an easy-to-use button release mechanism for changing punch tips. The system allows an operator to easily replace the small punch tip, without the need for tools. A variety of storage options offer easy, ergonomic access to tooling while helping the operator keep punches organized and protected.
“It may only take 45 seconds to a minute to remove and sharpen punches or dies, but if you multiply that by the number of times an operator performs that task in a day, it adds up,” Erler says. “We don’t ignore the small things.”
Wilson Tool’s Shimless Die Adaptor eliminates the need for shims during die changes, off ering faster and more accurate setups.
OPTIONS
On the sheet metal punching side of the business, Wilson Tool is always seeking ways to save customers time and reduce the potential for error, says Erler. “We focus punch ingenuity on boosting throughput and ensuring precision and accuracy in downstream operations such as bending, cutting, welding and assembly.”
Spot welding is one example. Welders often need to fill in the back side of a half shear that was used as a stop.
“Wilson Tool eliminates that step,” Erler explains. “Our Scratch Tool creates a feature similar to a burr that allows accurate location of parts for welding, while eliminating the need to fill in the back. As with most of our tools, we give customers options. In addition to our Scratch Tool, our Half Shear tools provide a precise, reliable method for creating shear buttons or stops and welding locators directly in the punch press. Our Rooftop Half Shears [can] provide greater protrusion for easier pick-up of the locator on the sheet.”
According to Erler, customer feedback is a critical resource for Wilson Tool’s ongoing punch tool developments. “We have a direct sales force that is in close communication with our customers,” she says. “We look at customers’ pain points, whether it’s receiving and warehousing parts or aiding the operator. We are always trying to get this information from customers so that we can work to offer solutions that simplify processes.”
In addition to tooling, Wilson Tool has implemented programs to help cultivate new workers. The tooling manufacturer is active in local high schools, colleges and technical schools. It also sponsors a high school robotic team.
The company is studying and implementing automation in its factory, Erler says. “The goal is not to replace people but to help them be more efficient, or to free them up to work on more complex applications,” Erler says. “We still need people. Whether it’s tailoring punch solutions to customers’ needs or innovating products to maximize productivity, our mission is to help make our customers the most successful fabricators in the world.
Wilson Tool International, 866/752-6531, wilsontool.com
