Overview
ISO 5396:1977 - Hardmetal heading dies - Terminology is an international standard that defines the accepted vocabulary, symbols and principal dimensions used to describe designs of hardmetal (carbide) heading dies and heading & extruding dies. The standard organizes terminology into three main tables (types of heading dies, heading/extruding die designs, and symbols for principal dimensions) and includes illustrative figures. English and French are the official ISO terms; equivalent German, Italian, Swedish and Dutch terms are also published for reference.
Key Topics
- Scope and purpose: standardizes nomenclature for hardmetal (carbide) heading dies to ensure consistent technical communication across manufacturers, designers and users.
- Die types: classification of heading die designs (see Table 1) and heading & extruding dies (see Table 2), including inset/offset core and washer-face configurations.
- Principal dimensions and symbols: a structured list of the dimensions and corresponding symbols used for describing dies (see Table 3 and Figures 13–15). Typical dimension identifiers (e.g., diameters, depths, radii, lengths and angles) are defined conceptually and illustrated.
- Multilingual terminology: official ISO terms in English and French plus equivalent terms in German, Italian, Swedish and Dutch (published at the request of ISO/TC 29).
- Illustrative figures: multiple figures (1–15) clarify die designs and dimensional conventions for specification and drawing.
Applications
ISO 5396:1977 is practical for anyone involved in the design, manufacture, specification or procurement of cold heading and extrusion tooling:
- Toolmakers and die designers use the standard to create unambiguous die drawings and part specifications.
- Manufacturers of carbide tooling rely on standardized terms to ensure consistent production and quality control.
- Engineering and quality teams apply the dimensional symbols and definitions during inspection, measurement and documentation.
- Purchasing and supply chain teams use the nomenclature to prepare clear purchase orders and technical agreements with international suppliers.
- Technical training and documentation benefit from a common vocabulary for teaching and manuals.
Related standards
- Developed under ISO Technical Committee ISO/TC 29 (Small tools).
- Useful to reference alongside ISO standards covering carbide tools, machining tolerances and technical drawing conventions when preparing complete tooling specifications.
Using ISO 5396:1977 helps reduce ambiguity in tooling specifications, improves communication across international teams, and supports consistent documentation for hardmetal heading dies, heading and extruding dies, and related carbide tooling.
