In punching, parts are produced from sheet metal of various kinds using a press or impact device and a cutting tool. Deep-drawing means reshaping a section of metal sheet by pulling it into a hollow body which is open at one side.

A combination of these production processes – including sheet-bending – is often employed in progressive compound tools to produce complex sheet metal components.

Laser cutting, also known as laser-beam cutting, is a thermal cutting process for sheet materials and three-dimensional objects (such as tubes and sections) using a laser. This process is used wherever complex outlines are required combined with precise, fast processing and/or non-contact cutting. Laser cutting can be economical even for very small quantities, unlike alternative processes such as punching.