What is stamped metal terminals ?
In connector manufacturing, the metal terminal is the “first point of contact” for signal and power transmission. Its geometric precision, surface quality, and mechanical strength directly determine mating reliability, electrical performance, and long-term stability.
Stamping is a process in which a press and die apply external force to metal strip, causing separation or plastic deformation. High-speed stamping typically uses progressive dies. In terminal manufacturing, stamping not only defines the terminal’s shape and profile, but also affects contact surface quality, dimensional consistency, and the stability of subsequent plating and assembly.
Hootai has built a complete high-speed stamping system—from die development and machine setup to process control and in-line vision inspection—enabling high-volume, high-consistency manufacturing of metal terminals.
- Six Key Stamping Processes for Connector Terminals
The high precision of a terminal structure comes from rigorous management of the entire process chain. Hootai controls six critical stages of the stamping process step by step to ensure dimensional consistency, structural stability, and a high first-pass yield.
01 Blanking
Automated feeding is used to punch, blank, and trim metal strip according to the die profile, separating and forming the terminal’s basic structure. Shear quality is strictly controlled to reduce burrs and stabilize the conductive cross-section, laying the foundation for dimensional accuracy in subsequent processes.
02 Bending
The material is formed along the designed bend lines. By applying bend compensation and optimizing die angles to offset the material’s springback behavior, the terminal’s geometry is made more precise, ensuring stable and consistent assembly positioning and mating fit.
03 Stretching
The material is gradually stretched through the die, transforming flat strip into more complex three-dimensional structures. This supports the manufacture of features such as terminal spring contacts and wrapped areas, making it suitable for the high-precision requirements of industries such as medical and communications.
04 Fine Blanking
Fine blanking technology delivers higher dimensional consistency and superior cut-edge quality, resulting in a smoother contact surface on the terminal. This helps reduce contact resistance and improves signal integrity and noise immunity in high-speed transmission.
05 Local Forming
Through local deformation processes such as flanging, coining, and leveling, the terminal achieves its final structure and stress distribution. This further enhances structural stability during assembly, retention force, and long-term mechanical durability.
06 Multiple Progressive Stamping
Powered by high-speed progressive stamping technology, the entire workflow—material feeding, precision forming, cutting, and in-line inspection—is fully automated, greatly improving production efficiency, stability, and batch-to-batch consistency.
Material of the Metal Terminals
Common materials for stamped metal terminals include copper, aluminum, and alloys. Each material offers different characteristics in conductivity, strength, and corrosion resistance. The following properties can serve as a reference when selecting the right material for your application.
Copper
· Conductivity: Approximately 58 MS/m, suitable for high-current applications.
· Tensile Strength: Approximately 210 MPa, offering good mechanical strength.
· Corrosion Resistance: Excellent, suitable for harsh environments.
Aluminum
· Conductivity: Approximately 37 MS/m, suitable for low-to-medium power applications.
· Tensile Strength: Approximately 90 MPa, lightweight but lower in strength.
· Corrosion Resistance: Good, requires surface treatment to enhance performance.
Alloy Materials
· Conductivity: Up to 55 MS/m, combining the advantages of copper and aluminum.
· Tensile Strength: Approximately 180 MPa, stronger than aluminum but lower than pure copper.
· Corrosion Resistance: Good, suitable for a wide range of applications.
Surface Finishing: Tin Plated Terminals
Tin plating is widely used for PCB terminals because it provides good solderability and helps protect the metal surface from oxidation. As a cost-effective surface treatment, tin plating ensures reliable soldering performance and extends the shelf life and service life of custom stamped metal terminals.
Die Design & Process Parameters for Custom Stamped Metal Terminals
Die Design
· Tolerance Requirements: Typically within ±0.05 mm to ensure proper fit between the stamped terminal and other components.
· Material Adaptability: Dies must accommodate the characteristics of different materials, particularly the hardness difference between copper and aluminum.
Process Parameters
· Stamping Speed: Recommended at 20–30 strokes/min for copper, 30–50 strokes/min for aluminum, and somewhere in between for alloy materials.
· Stamping Pressure: Typically set at 250–400 kN for copper, approximately 150–250 kN for aluminum, and 200–300 kN for alloys.
Machining Precision
· Dimensional Accuracy: The standard requirement is ±0.05 mm, while critical positions such as connection points demand even higher precision, reaching ±0.02 mm.
· Surface Roughness: Generally required to be Ra ≤ 0.8 μm to ensure good contact performance.
Inspection Methods
Inspection of terminals after stamping is essential. Common methods include visual inspection, dimensional measurement, and electrical performance testing. Visual inspection ensures there are no obvious surface defects. Dimensional measurement is carried out using calipers or coordinate measuring machines (CMM) to ensure conformity to design specifications. Electrical performance testing verifies conductivity and insulation, ensuring reliability in actual applications.
The Hootai Advantage in Custom Stamped Metal Terminals
Hootai boasts a high-quality stamping workshop with in-house production capabilities. The company prioritizes technological innovation, utilizing advanced equipment and a strict quality management system to ensure every product meets high standards. With extensive industry experience, Hootai is able to provide tailored solutions based on customer requirements—delivering on both quality and quantity—and has earned the trust of customers worldwide.
Related Spring products
Leave your message here for a discount
HooTai Spring offers production and solutions for metal terminals. Send us your needs or drawings here, we will offer the best price with high quality.
3 days for simple samples,
7-10 days for mold opening for complex samples.
We have a quality inspection team, a standardized testing process, and can cooperate with third-party inspection agencies.
Yes , Hootai Spring Factory offers a comprehensive service encompassing production and packaging, ensuring hassle-free preparation of springs for direct SMD machine utilization.