Gang punch tool assembly

A method for punching greensheets comprising the steps of:

• supplying a stack of greensheets to be punched;
• moving a single greensheet into a gang punch tool assembly comprising:
• a punch platen having through openings therein to allow movement of the punch platen vertically along vertically disposed guide rods;
• vertically disposed guide rods;
• means to move the punch platen vertically downwardly and upwardly along the guide rods;
• locking blocks to lock the punch platen in a desired gang punch position;
• a gang punch secured to the lower surface of the punch platen having a plurality of actuatable punch pins therein, which when the gang punch is actuated the pins move vertically upwardly and downwardly;
• a die platen having through openings therein to allow movement of the die platen vertically along the vertically disposed guide rods;
• reciprocating means attached to the lower surface of the die platen for moving the die platen upwardly and downwardly along the guide rods;
• a die secured to the upper surface of the die platen, the die having a plurality of openings corresponding to the punch pins in the gang punch;
• a greensheet feeder device to feed a greensheet to the die;
• a punched greensheet removal device for removing a punched greensheet from the die;
• structural means for carrying the punch platen, die platen, guide rods, reciprocating means, greensheet feeder device and punched greensheet removal device;
• means to actuate the punch pins in the gang punch to move the punch pins upwardly and downwardly;
• moving the die platen and die upwards to mate with the gang punch and greensheet;
• actuating the gang punch to force the punch pins downward through the die openings to form openings in the greensheet;
• deactivating the gang punch to retract the punch pins upwardly out of the die and greensheet;
• moving the die platen and die to a position separated from the gang punch;
• removing the punched greensheet using the punched greensheet removal device;
• and
• repeating the above steps to punch a plurality of greensheets.