Patent ID: 7401491

Claim:
An apparatus, comprising: a die having a longitudinal axis, the die having a defined shape along the longitudinal axis and at least one cavity along the longitudinal axis, wherein the defined shape is used for shaping a sheet of metal and wherein the at least one cavity has a cross-sectional shape; and at least one insert having a longitudinal axis that corresponds to the longitudinal axis of the die, the at least one insert having a protrusion along the longitudinal axis of the insert and at least one surface for shaping the sheet of metal, wherein the protrusion has a cross-sectional shape that matches the cross-sectional shape of the at least one cavity and wherein the at least one surface for shaping the sheet of metal corresponds to at least a portion of the defined shape of the die; such that the protrusion of the at least one insert may be inserted into one of the at least one cavity of the die to result in a removably fixed mechanical interlock between the at least one cavity and the protrusion.