Punching is a basic sheet metal cutting process, that has many different forms and applications in pressworking manufacture. Punching involves pressing out a piece of material from a metal sheet. The material removed may be round or some other shape. This excess metal, once punched out, is called a slug and is usually discarded as scrap. Metal punching is the most efficient means to produce repetitive holes in steel plate precisely and quickly.

York Engineering employed this technique extensively on the FNB shopfitting project showcased in the portfolio section.