A blanking tool is used within a punching process known as blanking. Its purpose is to remove a section of material from a sheet of metal. The material removed - otherwise known as the blank - is usually the required product, whilst the excess outer material is discarded.
The shape of the blanking tool - and therefore the specific method used to manufacture them - will vary depending on the shape and size of the required blank. Commonly, these are machined from solid, with turning and milling proving popular manufacturing processes for blanking tools. These tools can be made from a number of different materials; however, the material used must be wear-resistant and strong enough to facilitate the cutting of the blank. Therefore, carbides and tool steel tend to be widely used.