Patent ID: 8820200

Claim:
A method for making parts comprising the steps, not necessarily conducted in series, of: providing a modular die set for die stamping parts, the modular die set for die stamping parts including: an upper shoe die a lower die shoe having a first length, width, and thickness, and an opening spanning a substantial, extensive portion of the first length and width of the lower die shoe, wherein material can pass freely through the opening of the lower die shoe, and said opening defines a perimeter; and a set of plural movable supports, which can be closely spaced or spaced apart in relation to one another, which can be selected and stationed to support a tooling subassembly and to avoid any hole(s) in a lower tooling plate of the tooling subassembly such that scrap and/or parts to fall through the hole(s) can fall through said opening of the lower die shoe, wherein said plural movable supports are positioned during operation within the perimeter of said opening; and extend beyond the thickness of the lower die shoe to a base beneath said lower die shoe to provide the support of the tooling subassembly on the base; providing the tooling subassembly, and mounting it on the upper and lower die shoes; selecting from among the set of plural movable supports an operational set of plural movable supports for supporting the lower tooling plate of the tooling subassembly and avoiding any hole(s) therein, and stationing the operational set of plural movable supports under the lower tooling plate such that the lower tooling plate is supported and any scrap and/or parts can pass through any hole(s) in the lower tooling plate and pass through said opening in the lower die shoe; providing a die with the modular die set for stamping parts, the tooling subassembly, and the selected and stationed operational set of plural movable supports; providing a press, and mounting the die within the press; and providing a workpiece, and feeding the workpiece through the die in the press while operating the press to make parts from the workpiece through die stamping.