Punch and die assembly

A punch and die assembly for a forming assembly for forming flared openings in commercial forming steel sheeting, the punch and die assembly comprising:

• a punch that includes:
• a punching element having a base portion and a working portion that extends from a face of the base portion, the working portion defining a working edge with more than two substantially evenly spaced peaks and troughs for forming an opening in the steel sheeting during a working stroke;
• and a flaring element mountable on the base portion of the punching element, a side of the flaring element defining an arcuate flaring surface that tapers inwardly in the direction of the working stroke and is in register with the working portion to define a continuous transition from the flaring surface to an external surface of the working portion, wherein the base portion of the punching element is stepped to define a shoulder so that a stub of the base portion can nest in a passage defined by the flaring element to locate the punching element relative to the flaring element;
• and a die for supporting the steel sheeting, the die having a die opening with a flared die face for facing the flaring surface of the flaring element such that the opening in the steel sheeting is flared by the flaring surface of the flaring element and the die face in the working stroke.