A punch tool device vertically that is movably mounted in a punch mounting hole formed in a punch holder of a punch press includes: a punch body vertically movably provided inside a tubular punch guide vertically movably mounted in a punch mounting hole and, the punch body includes a punch edge section in its lower end portion. An elastic member is provided between the punch guide and a punch head provided on an upper end portion of a punch driver provided above the punch body. A supported section is supported by a lifter spring provided to the punch holder, is provided on an outer peripheral surface of the punch guide; and a lubricating oil path is provided in the outer peripheral surface of the punch guide so as to communicate with a lubricating oil supply path formed in the punch body, the lubricating oil path provided to be capable of coming into and out of communication with a lifter spring containing hole which contains the lifter spring.

A tool gripping and alignment plate arrangement, for accurately gripping and holding a tool in perfect alignment. The alignment plate arrangement comprises a flat unitary tool gripping plate. An irregular bore opening is formed in the tool gripping plate, for gripping a tool therein. The irregular bore wall opening is comprised of a first wall portion of 180 degrees in circumference, and a distortable second wall portion of less than 180 degrees in circumference. A bore-facing tool relief portion is arranged on a distal end of the distortable second wall portion.

A method includes removing material from a die and thereby changing a location of a cutting edge of the die in a punch entry direction and changing a cutting edge cross-section of the die; and assigning a punch and/or a workpiece thickness to the die based, at least in part, on the change in the cutting edge cross-section of the die.

A die press assembly for producing punched parts from a travelling web of material, the die press comprising: a lower die shoe securing a compound punch holder plate thereon, the compound punch holder biasedly gripping a compound punch tool therein, the lower die shoe also supporting a reciprocably movable stripper holder plate, wherein the compound punch extends slideably through a biasedly gripped stripper holder tool in the stripper holder plate; an upper punch holder movable with respect to the lower die shoe, the upper punch holder having a center punch holder plate which biasedly grips a center punch tool therewithin; and a die holder plate fixedly attached to the center punch holder plate with a biasedly gripped die tool slideably enclosing the center punch, wherein each of the biasedly gripped tools are in co-axial alignment in distortable bores in their respective plates.