Tooling assembly, blanking tool therefor and associated method

A tooling assembly for a press, said press being structured to receive a sheet of material to perform a number of machining operations thereto, said tooling assembly comprising:

• first tooling structured to be coupled to a first portion of said press;
• second tooling structured to be coupled to a second portion of said press opposite said first tooling, said first tooling and said second tooling being structured to cooperate to engage said sheet of material therebetween;
• and
• a blanking tool coupled to said first tooling, said blanking tool comprising:
• a shear cooperating with a portion of said second tooling to cut a number of blanks from said material, said shear comprising:
• an inner edge defining a thru hole,
• an outer edge concentric with the inner edge, and
• a plurality of contact surfaces disposed between the inner edge and the outer edge,
• wherein every contact surface of said shear is positioned about the thru hole in the same radial positioning relative to the inner edge and extends from proximate the inner edge toward the outer edge;
• wherein said plurality of contact surfaces are defined by a plurality of machined surfaces;
• and wherein each of said machined surfaces is a recessed area disposed between a pair of said plurality of contact surfaces, in order that said plurality of contact surfaces comprise high points on a side of said shear, and
• wherein the blanking tool is structured to cut blanks devoid of any holes or openings.