Tool and Die Maker Notes on iPhone: Clearance Specs, Tryout Records & Grinding Logs

Tool and die work is precision engineering applied to production tooling. A die that produces 10 million parts without a die break starts with documentation: clearances, material stack, punch geometry, and the tryout findings that separated a problematic prototype from a reliable production tool. Nemos gives tool and die makers a field-ready place to capture those findings as they happen — at the press, at the bench, or at the inspection table.

Why Tool and Die Makers Need Structured Notes

Die design information lives in CAD files. What doesn't live anywhere is the experiential layer: - Why you opened clearance from 8% to 10% on this specific material - Which punch geometry reduced galling in that stainless application - What the tryout slugs looked like when breakthrough was optimum - How you shimmed the die shoe to correct a progressive blank lean

That knowledge is the difference between a tool that survives production and one that dies prematurely. Without documentation, it lives only in the craftsperson's memory.

What to Capture in Nemos

Die Geometry and Clearance Records For each tool, document: - Material specification and thickness - Punch-to-die clearance (percentage of material thickness and actual thousandths) - Punch geometry: land length, relief angle, face profile - Die land and relief angles - Stripper spring rates and compressed length - Stock guidance dimensions

When a die needs rework after years in production, these original specifications are the baseline for evaluating wear.

Material Progression Notes (Progressive Dies) Progressive die work requires documenting each station's function and the carrier strip progression: - Station sequence and operation at each station - Pilot hole location and size - Carrier strip width and pitch - Blank orientation and any rotation

Station maps in Nemos — even as text descriptions — give rework technicians context when diagnosing a progression issue.

Tryout Observations Die tryout is where design meets reality. Document each press run during tryout: - Press tonnage used - Stroke setting - Pilot release timing - Feed length - Part condition (burr direction, height, break percentage) - Any tool contact marks (galling, pickup, witness marks) - Adjustments made between runs and why

A complete tryout log lets you reproduce a successful setup and explains every change that got you there.

Troubleshooting Notes When a production die breaks down — punch fracture, die cracking, excessive burr, part lean — document: - Symptom observed at press - Die condition at inspection (wear pattern, fracture morphology) - Root cause assessment - Repair performed - Process adjustment made (clearance change, lubrication change, speed change)

Repeated failures on the same tool type reveal systemic design issues worth documenting and correcting in future builds.

Grinding and Sharpening Records Document cumulative punch and die sharpenings: - Date of sharpening - Amount removed per sharpening - Total material removed from design length - Condition notes at sharpening

When a punch reaches critical shortened length — affecting breakthrough force and potential fracture risk — the grinding log tells you where you are relative to replacement threshold.

Building a Material-Specific Reference

Accumulate notes on materials you regularly stamp: cold rolled steel, stainless grades, aluminum alloys, copper, high-strength steel. For each material: - Clearance percentages that work reliably - Lubricant types that reduce galling - Punch geometry preferences - Typical breakthrough percentage at optimum setting

This reference becomes more valuable than handbook data because it's calibrated to your actual presses and shop practices.

FAQ

Can Nemos handle long-form technical documentation? Yes. Notes have no length limit. Detailed tryout logs, station maps, and material progression tables all work in plain text.

How do I organize notes across hundreds of active tools in a large shop? Use consistent title conventions — die number, part number, or job identifier. Tags for die type (progressive, compound, transfer) keep the library sortable. Search finds any die number instantly.

Can I attach photos of die condition? Yes. Attach photos of die wear patterns, fracture surfaces, tryout parts, and grinding measurements. Visual documentation of wear morphology helps diagnose root cause.

How do I share notes with the press room when a die goes into production? Export the relevant setup note as text for posting at the press or attaching to the job traveler. Critical parameters — clearance, lubrication, tonnage range — transfer to the production floor.

What about design drawings — should I reference those in Nemos? Reference drawing numbers and revision levels in your Nemos notes, but keep the drawings in your CAD system or drawing archive. Nemos captures the knowledge layer that drawings don't.

Why is this better than memory and experience? Experience doesn't transfer when you retire. Nemos does.

Related Reading

• /blog/cnc-operator-notes-iphone — precision machining setup and process documentation
• /blog/quality-control-inspector-notes-iphone — inspection measurement and first-article documentation
• /blog/millwright-notes-iphone — precision alignment and equipment documentation
• /blog/industrial-mechanic-notes-iphone — machine maintenance and repair records

Sources

• Tool and die design standards: Die Design Handbook (Society of Manufacturing Engineers, 3rd Ed.)
• Stamping process documentation: Precision Metalforming Association technical resources

Download Nemos free on the App Store.