2) Check for metal chips or shavings from the manufacturing process. These tiny metal chips can hide in the weld chamber area or work belt area of the die and form die lines in the extruded product or may form.
3) Check that the die and related tooling meet Rockwell hardness standards. Although most die manufacturers check this thoroughly, it is not impossible to be off by a few Rockwell C points.
8) Proper exit size, check that the step behind the work band has proper clearance. Key tongues, screw bosses, etc. should have a minimum clearance. Too much clearance will cause the die to collapse and squeeze out the scrap. A blanking of approximately 0.040 inches (0.10 mm) is considered normal.
9) Proper die support. On the tongue, you want maximum support for best results. In areas with small or long tongues and screw bosses, a zero degree back taper is usually required.
10) Work band finish. Check the die work belt for: Wire cut lines, scratches from files, gauge pins or emery paper. Scratches from shipping Rail EDM or milling relief Burrs on the exit side of the work belt; it is best to catch one of these points and check before sampling or attempting a batch extrusion order.
11) Work belt flatness, verticality. The importance of these cannot be overstated.