Clinching is a high-speed, mechanical fastening technique for joining sheet metal. This inexpensive and easily automated process requires a press, a punch and a die. The punch pushes the sheet metal into a die, forming a mechanical interlock.

Clinching is ideal for joining sheet metal for several reasons. First, clinching requires no fasteners. Therefore, the cost of the fasteners and equipment to feed them is eliminated. And, clinching can join sheets of different thicknesses or materials. The process can even be used on stainless steel. Clinching will not damage anticorrosive coatings, and an adhesive or other material can be located between the sheets.