How to Choose a Deep Draw Press for Aluminum Cookware: NS-40 vs. NS-55E Technical Guide
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In modern cookware and hardware manufacturing, the deep drawing process is the foundation of product quality, structural integrity, and material efficiency. Producing seamless aluminum cookware—such as stockpots, frying pans, saucepans, and pressure cooker bodies—demands precise control over metal deformation. Choosing the right deep draw press requires a deep understanding of metal flow dynamics, edge-holding forces, and machine specifications.
This technical guide examines the critical engineering criteria for selecting a double-action deep drawing press and provides an in-depth comparison between two benchmark industrial models: the NANSEN NS-40 (32 Ton) and NS-55E (55 Ton) double-action presses.
Understanding the Double-Action Deep Drawing Process
Deep drawing is a metal forming operation where a flat sheet metal blank is radially drawn into a forming die by the mechanical action of a punch. When forming deep cylindrical or rectangular shapes from ductile alloys—such as aluminum 1050, 3003, or 3105—the metal undergoes significant tensile and compressive stresses.
A double-action hydraulic press is essential for deep cookware drawing because it utilizes two independently controlled slides:
- Outer Edge-Pressing Slide (Blank Holder): Clamps the outer perimeter of the blank material with a precisely calibrated holding force. This prevents the metal flange from wrinkling, puckering, or tearing as it is drawn into the die cavity.
- Inner Drawing Slide (Punch): Drives the core punch down through the blank holder, forcing the metal into the die to form the cup, pot, or basin body.
By synchronizing edge holding pressure with punch velocity, manufacturers eliminate surface defects, minimize wall thinning, and maintain strict wall-thickness tolerances across continuous high-speed production shifts.
Key Engineering Criteria When Sizing a Deep Draw Press
Before selecting a press model, manufacturing engineers must calculate their maximum workpiece dimensions and deformation parameters:
1. Maximum Blank Diameter vs. Drawing Diameter (Limiting Draw Ratio)
The Limiting Draw Ratio (LDR) defines the maximum ratio of initial blank diameter to final drawn shell diameter that can be formed in a single operation without rupturing. Sizing the press bed and edge-pressing slide to accommodate your largest required blank diameter ensures that initial disc blanks are securely clamped before the stroke initiates.
2. Maximum Drawing Depth and Stroke Travel
The total height of the cookware item determines the required drawing depth. Deep stockpots and pressure cookers require significantly longer stroke travel and greater daylight clearance to allow safe part extraction and automatic pneumatic/mechanical part ejection.
3. Edge-Holding vs. Drawing Tonnage Distribution
Cookware items with large surface areas require sufficient edge-holding tonnage to counter the radial compressive stress in the flange. If edge pressure is insufficient, severe wrinkling occurs; if excessive, friction causes bottom tearing. Both the NS-40 and NS-55E provide balanced tonnage between the drawing punch and edge-pressing slides.
4. Production Cycle Rate
High-volume cookware factories operate on fast cycle times. A continuous stroke rate of 10 to 11 cycles per minute enables standard production lines to yield 400 to 600 drawn shells per hour with automated feeding or experienced operators.
Technical Specification Comparison: NS-40 vs. NS-55E
Below is a direct side-by-side engineering comparison between the two standard double-action deep draw press configurations supplied by NANSEN:
| Technical Parameter | NS-40 (Double Action) | NS-55E (Double Action) |
|---|---|---|
| Drawing Slide Nominal Pressure | 32 Ton (320 kN) | 55 Ton (550 kN) |
| Edge Pressing Slide Nominal Pressure | 32 Ton (320 kN) | 45 Ton (450 kN) |
| Maximum Blank Material Diameter | φ610 mm | φ800 mm |
| Maximum Drawing Diameter | φ420 mm | φ580 mm |
| Maximum Drawing Depth | 220 mm | 280 mm |
| Drawing Slide Stroke Travel | 380 mm | 450 mm |
| Continuous Stroke Rate | 11 cycles/min | 10 cycles/min |
| Operating Bed Dimensions | 635 × 544 mm | 800 × 700 mm |
| Main Motor Power | 13 kW | 15 kW |
| Adjustment Auxiliary Motor | 1.1 kW | 1.5 kW |
| Overall Footprint (L × W × H) | 2580 × 1836 × 3600 mm | 2950 × 2100 × 4100 mm |
| Total Machine Net Weight | 14,000 kg | 19,500 kg |
Application Sizing Guide: When to Choose NS-40 vs. NS-55E
Choose the NS-40 If You Produce:
- Small-to-medium cookware: milk pots, non-stick frying pans, shallow casseroles, and standard saucepans up to φ420 mm finished diameter.
- Workpieces requiring drawing depth under 220 mm.
- Facilities prioritizing compact footprint (2.58 m × 1.84 m) and lower power consumption (13 kW).
Choose the NS-55E If You Produce:
- Large-capacity stockpots, commercial cookware, aluminum pressure cooker shells, basins, and deep drums up to φ580 mm finished diameter.
- Deep-profile vessels requiring drawing depth between 220 mm and 280 mm from large disc blanks up to φ800 mm.
- Heavy-duty production runs requiring rigid 19.5-ton machine damping to minimize frame deflection during continuous multi-shift operations.
Complete Cookware Production Line Integration
Deep drawing is the central stage of an automated cookware production workflow. NANSEN designs and supplies turn-key machinery across the entire processing chain:
- Blanking: Cutting aluminum discs from coil stock.
- Deep Drawing: Forming the cylindrical vessel on the NS-40 / NS-55E Deep Draw Press Machine.
- Edge Trimming & Beading: Trimming the uneven drawn edge and curling the lip for rigidity and lid fit.
- Handle Riveting: Fastening bracket ears and long handles securely using the Automatic Hydraulic Riveting Machine for Cookware.
- Surface Finishing: Polishing inner and outer surfaces using Industrial Grinding & Polishing Equipment.
Tooling Engineering, Mold Design & Global RFQ Support
Every deep drawing application requires customized punch and die geometry, draw radii, and clearance tolerances matching the alloy grade and sheet thickness. NANSEN provides comprehensive engineering support:
- Custom draw die and blank holder tooling design based on client 2D/3D component drawings.
- Sample testing and trial stamping in our manufacturing facility prior to shipment.
- Turn-key ocean export packaging in fumigated heavy-duty crates with on-site installation and commissioning guidance.
To evaluate your cookware workpiece drawings or request a technical quote for the NS-40 or NS-55E deep draw press, contact our engineering team directly at nsmonica88@gmail.com or explore our complete Cookware Production Equipment Catalog.