Stamping apparatus

1. A stamping apparatus for stamping a blank, the apparatus comprising:

a first die including a forming cavity and a plurality of depressions positioned outboard and along a periphery of said forming cavity in a non-overlapping manner, said depressions each defined by a first corner proximate said forming cavity and a second corner distal said forming cavity in the outboard direction from said first corner and said forming cavity; and

a blank-holding ram including a plurality of beads each configured to engage an edge portion of said blank into said depressions when the blank is positioned between the first die and the blank-holding ram, said beads each including a third corner proximate said forming cavity and a fourth corner distal said forming cavity in the outboard direction from said third corner,

wherein said first corner of said depression includes a radii of curvature greater than the radii of curvatures of said second corner of said depression, and the third and fourth corners of the bead, and the first corner is located distal from the edge portion of the blank.

2. The stamping apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said radius of curvature of said first corner is at least twice as great as said radii of curvature of said second, third and fourth corners.

3. The stamping apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said radius of curvature of said first corner is at least three times as great as said radii of said second, third and fourth corners.

4. The stamping apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said radius of curvature of said first corner is at least two times as great as said radii of said third and fourth corners.

5. The stamping apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said radius of curvature of said first corner is at least three times as great as a thickness of the blank.

6. The stamping apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said radius of curvature of said first corner is at least four times as great as a thickness of the blank.

7. The stamping apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said radius of curvature of said first corner is at least four times as great as a thickness of blank and said radii of curvature of said third and fourth corners is 1.0 to 2.0 times as great as a thickness of the blank.

8. The stamping apparatus of claim 1 , wherein a surface from which said depression depends from is angled with respect to a horizontal ground reference.

9. The stamping apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said bead extends entirely about a perimeter of said forming cavity.

10. The stamping apparatus of claim 7 , wherein said bead engages said depression entirely about the perimeter of said forming cavity.

11. The stamping apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a punch configured to engage a portion of the blank into the forming cavity.

12. A stamping apparatus for stamping a blank, the apparatus comprising:

a first die including a forming cavity and a depression positioned outboard of the forming cavity, the depression defined by a first corner proximate the forming cavity and a second corner distal the forming cavity in the outboard direction from the first corner and the forming cavity; and

a blank-holding ram including a bead configured to engage an edge portion of the blank into the depression when the blank is positioned between the first die and the blank-holding ram, the bead protruding from the blank-holding ram and including a lower surface positioned between a pair of side surfaces that extend orthogonal to the lower surface, the side surfaces connecting to the lower surface by way of a third corner proximate the forming cavity and a fourth corner distal the forming cavity in the outboard direction from the third corner,

wherein the first corner of the depression includes a radii of curvature greater than the radii of curvatures of the corner of the depression, and the third and fourth corners of the bead, and the first corner is located distal from the edge portion of the blank.

13. The stamping apparatus of claim 12 , wherein said radius of curvature of said first corner is at least twice as great as said radii of curvature of said second, third and fourth corners.

14. The stamping apparatus of claim 12 , wherein said radius of curvature of said first corner is at least three times as great as said radii of said second, third and fourth corners.

15. The stamping apparatus of claim 12 , wherein said radius of curvature of said first corner is at least two times as great as said radii of said third and fourth corners.

16. The stamping apparatus of claim 12 , wherein said radius of curvature of said first corner is at least three times as great as a thickness of the blank.

17. The stamping apparatus of claim 12 , wherein said radius of curvature of said first corner is at least four times as great as a thickness of the blank.

18. The stamping apparatus of claim 12 , wherein said radius of curvature of said first corner is at least four times as great as a thickness of blank and said radii of curvature of said third and fourth corners is 1.0 to 2.0 times as great as a thickness of the blank.

19. The stamping apparatus of claim 12 , wherein said bead extends entirely about a perimeter of said forming cavity.

20. The stamping apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the first die includes a plurality of the depressions positioned outboard and along a periphery of the forming cavity in a non-overlapping manner; and

the blank-holding ram includes a plurality of the beads each configured to engage the depressions.