What Materials Can Be Used in the Metal Stamping Process?

Published by Sandra Gao at July 10, 2026

Ferrous Metals (Iron-Based)

Ferrous metals contain iron as their primary element. They offer high strength, wide availability, and generally the lowest material cost per kilogram.

Material	Common Grades We Stamp	Key Properties	Stampability Notes	Typical Applications
Carbon Steel	SPCC, SPCE, SPHC, C1008, C1010, C1018, C1045	High strength, low cost, easy to form, magnetic.	Excellent stampability. Low springback. Long die life.	Brackets, clamps, automotive structural parts, mounting plates.
Alloy Steel	4130, 4140, SCM415, SCM440	Enhanced strength, wear resistance, heat tolerance.	Moderate stampability. Requires more tonnage. Higher die wear.	Aerospace structural components, industrial hardware, defense parts.
Stainless Steel	SUS304, SUS301, SUS316, SUS430, 17-4PH	Excellent corrosion resistance, good strength, non-magnetic (austenitic grades).	More difficult to stamp. High springback (especially 301). Higher die wear. Requires adjusted clearances.	Medical devices, food processing equipment, outdoor hardware, marine components.

Carbon steel (SPCC, SPCE) is our most commonly stamped ferrous material — probably 35-40% of all jobs in our shop. It's affordable, widely available, forms beautifully, and is gentle on tooling. If your part doesn't require corrosion resistance or special conductivity, carbon steel is almost always the best starting point.

Stainless steel is our second most common ferrous material, but it requires more engineering attention. Here's why:

Springback is significantly higher than carbon steel. SUS301 (used for spring applications) can spring back 3-5° more than equivalent carbon steel geometry. Our die designers compensate for this during tooling design, but it means your die is specific to the material — you can't switch from carbon steel to stainless without adjusting the tooling.
Die wear is 3-5× faster when stamping stainless steel compared to carbon steel, because stainless is harder and more abrasive. We use higher-grade tool steels (DC53, SKH51) and apply surface coatings (TiN, TiCN) to critical die components when running stainless to extend die life.
Work hardening — stainless steel hardens as it's deformed. This means multi-stage forming operations must account for the material getting progressively harder at each station.

Real example — material switch that saved cost: A hardware startup customer in Australia designed a mounting bracket in SUS304 stainless steel because they assumed it needed corrosion resistance for indoor use. After discussing their actual operating environment (indoor, climate-controlled, no moisture exposure), we suggested SPCC carbon steel with zinc plating. The result: material cost dropped by 65%, stamping was easier (lower reject rate), and the zinc plating actually provided adequate corrosion protection for their application. Total cost savings: approximately 45% per part.

Non-Ferrous Metals (No Iron Content)

Non-ferrous metals offer properties that iron-based metals cannot: electrical conductivity, lightweight, natural corrosion resistance without coating, and non-magnetic behavior.

Material	Common Grades We Stamp	Key Properties	Stampability Notes	Typical Applications
Aluminum	A1100, A3003, A5052, A6061	Lightweight (⅓ weight of steel), naturally corrosion resistant, good thermal conductivity.	Good stampability (soft tempers). Gummy at high speeds — requires proper lubrication. Can gall on tooling if not managed.	Electronics housings, heat sinks, lighting reflectors, EMI shields.
Copper	C1100 (ETP), C1020 (OFC), C1940	Highest electrical conductivity of any stampable metal. Excellent thermal conductivity.	Excellent stampability. Very soft, forms easily. Minimal springback.	Electrical contacts, bus bars, battery connectors, heat spreaders.
Brass	C2600, C2680, C2801	Good electrical conductivity (≈28% of copper), low friction, attractive gold color, easy to plate.	Excellent stampability — one of the easiest metals to stamp. Long die life.	Terminals, connectors, pins, decorative hardware, musical instrument parts.
Phosphor Bronze	C5191, C5210	High fatigue resistance, good conductivity, excellent spring properties.	Moderate stampability. Harder than brass. Good for fine blanking.	Contact springs, socket connectors, leaf springs, precision clips.
Beryllium Copper	C1720 (CuBe2), C17200	Highest strength of any copper alloy, good conductivity, non-sparking.	Difficult to stamp in hardened condition. Usually stamped in soft temper, then heat treated. Health precaution: dust must be controlled.	High-performance connectors, aerospace contacts, non-sparking tools.
Titanium	Grade 1, Grade 2, Ti-6Al-4V (Grade 5)	Extremely high strength-to-weight ratio, biocompatible, corrosion resistant in all environments.	Difficult to stamp. High springback. Tendency to gall (stick to die surfaces). Requires special lubrication and slower speeds.	Aerospace brackets, medical implants, defense components, high-end consumer electronics.

Material Selection by Industry

Based on our experience serving customers across 12+ industries, here are the most common material choices by sector:

Industry	Most Common Materials	Why
Electronics & Semiconductors	Copper (C1100), Brass (C2600, C2680), Phosphor Bronze (C5191)	Electrical conductivity is the primary requirement.
Automotive	Carbon Steel (SPCC, SPHC), Stainless Steel (SUS304), Aluminum (A5052)	Balance of strength, formability, and cost.
Aerospace & Defense	Titanium (Grade 2, Grade 5), Alloy Steel (4130, 4140), Stainless (17-4PH)	Extreme strength-to-weight ratio, fatigue resistance.
Medical & Dental	Stainless Steel (SUS304, SUS316), Titanium (Grade 2)	Biocompatibility, sterilization resistance, corrosion resistance.
Lighting	Aluminum (A1100, A5052), Copper (C1100)	Thermal management, reflectivity, lightweight.
Consumer Products	Carbon Steel (SPCC), Stainless Steel (SUS304), Brass (C2801)	Cost, appearance, durability.
Industrial & Robotics	Carbon Steel, Alloy Steel, Stainless Steel	Strength, wear resistance, reliability.

Stampability Comparison: How Materials Behave in the Die

This is the information most stamping guides leave out, but it's critical for understanding why material choice affects your cost:

Material	Stampability Rating	Springback	Die Wear Rate	Relative Material Cost (vs. Carbon Steel = 1×)
Carbon Steel (SPCC)	★★★★★ Excellent	Low	Low	1× (baseline)
Brass (C2600)	★★★★★ Excellent	Low	Very Low	3–4×
Copper (C1100)	★★★★☆ Very Good	Very Low	Low	4–6×
Aluminum (A5052)	★★★★☆ Very Good	Low-Medium	Medium (galling risk)	2–3×
Phosphor Bronze (C5191)	★★★☆☆ Good	Medium	Medium	5–7×
Stainless Steel (SUS304)	★★★☆☆ Good	High	High	3–5×
Stainless Steel (SUS301)	★★☆☆☆ Moderate	Very High	High	4–6×
Titanium (Grade 2)	★★☆☆☆ Moderate	Very High	Very High (galling)	15–25×
Titanium (Grade 5)	★☆☆☆☆ Difficult	Extreme	Very High	25–40×

What does this mean for you?

Materials with higher stampability are faster to run, have fewer rejects, and are gentler on tooling — all of which translate to lower per-part cost.
Materials with high springback require more engineering effort in die design (over-bending, coining, special forming techniques) — this adds to tooling cost.
Materials with high die wear rates shorten die life, meaning more frequent die maintenance and eventually die replacement — this is a hidden long-term cost that many buyers overlook.

Real example — material stampability impact: A robotics customer specified titanium Grade 5 for a small structural bracket. After discussing requirements, we determined that the primary need was high strength-to-weight ratio, but the part didn't need titanium's corrosion resistance or biocompatibility. We suggested 17-4PH stainless steel (precipitation hardened) — it provides 85% of titanium's strength at 1/5 the material cost, with much better stampability. The customer saved approximately 70% on material and 30% on tooling (because the die lasted 4× longer). For the rare cases where titanium truly is required, we absolutely can stamp it — but we always verify the requirement is genuine before committing a customer to that cost level.

Material Thickness Range

At Worthy, we stamp materials across a wide thickness range:

Material Category	Minimum Thickness	Maximum Thickness	Notes
Carbon Steel	0.1mm	6.0mm	Full range capability
Stainless Steel	0.1mm	4.0mm	Thicker gauges require higher tonnage
Aluminum	0.2mm	5.0mm	Very thin aluminum tears easily
Copper & Brass	0.05mm	3.0mm	We regularly stamp ultra-thin copper for electronics (0.05-0.1mm)
Phosphor Bronze	0.05mm	2.0mm	Common in thin gauges for springs
Titanium	0.3mm	3.0mm	Requires slower press speeds

Material Certification and Traceability

For customers in regulated industries (medical, aerospace, automotive), material traceability is not optional — it's mandatory. At Worthy, we provide:

Mill certificates (MTR) for every material lot, showing chemical composition, mechanical properties, and heat number
Material lot traceability — we can trace any finished part back to its original material coil and supplier
RoHS and REACH compliance documentation for materials going into electronics applications
Conflict mineral reporting (CMRT) for customers with supply chain transparency requirements

We source our materials from established, certified mills and maintain long-term relationships with suppliers who provide consistent quality batch to batch. Material inconsistency is one of the hidden causes of stamping quality problems — if the material hardness varies between coils, your parts will vary too. We prevent this through supplier qualification and incoming material inspection.

Not Sure Which Material Is Right for Your Part?

If you already have a material specified on your drawing, we'll confirm it's optimal for stamping and flag any potential issues. If you're open to suggestions, our engineers evaluate your requirements and recommend the best material based on:

Functional requirements — What does the part need to do? (carry current, resist corrosion, bear load, etc.)
Environmental conditions — Where will it operate? (indoor, outdoor, underwater, high temperature, etc.)
Volume and budget — What's your production quantity and target cost?
Stampability — Which materials give the cleanest, most consistent results for your specific geometry?

Send your design to [email protected] and let us know your application. We'll recommend the best material option — or confirm your current choice — within 24 hours.

About the Author

Sandra Gao is the founder and technical director of Worthy Hardware, a precision metal stamping manufacturer based in China serving global customers since 1998. With over 15 years of experience in metal stamping engineering and production management, Sandra leads a team of 4 engineers specializing in tool and die design, DFM optimization, and quality systems. Worthy Hardware exports to North America, Europe, Japan, Singapore, Australia, New Zealand, and the Middle East, serving industries from aerospace to medical devices.

Contact: [email protected] | www.worthyhardware.com

Have a part design you'd like us to evaluate? Send your drawing to [email protected]. Our engineering team will review it and provide DFM feedback, process recommendations, and pricing within 24 hours — no obligation.