Patent ID: 8904847

Claim:
An apparatus comprising: a molding die; and a molding machine structured to receive and locate a deformable workpiece relative to the molding die to carry out a plastic deformation operation when force is applied to the deformable workpiece causing it to plastically deform, wherein the molding die comprises a plurality of removable die layers connected together to define a void in the molding die into which the deformable workpiece is plastically deformed in the plastic deformation operation, wherein the plurality of removable die layers comprises a first set of die layers and a second set of die layers, wherein the first set of die layers and the second set of die layers are separately removable, wherein the first set of die layers is structured to produce a first plastic deformation in the deformable workpiece in a first mold deformation process when the second set of die layers is absent during the process, wherein the plurality of removable die layers are structured to produce a second plastic deformation subsequent to the first plastic deformation in the deformable workpiece in a second mold deformation process when the second set of die layers is present during the process, and wherein the second set of die layers forms a narrowing tool configuration such that the second plastic deformation forms an undercut in the deformable workpiece.