Stamping services use punches and dies to create three-dimensional parts and add surface definition such as lettering to flat-sheet materials. They can process ferrous and nonferrous metals, exotic metals and alloys, precious metals, and thermoplastic materials. Stamping services differ in terms of capabilities and may use deep drawing, fine blanking, multislide stamping, or progressive die techniques. Deep drawing uses a punch to fabricate deeply-recessed parts. The depth of a deep-drawn part exceeds its width, as with a cup made from a flat metal sheet. Fine blanking is a specialized, high-precision blanking technique in which material is sheared smoothly through its entire thickness. Fine blanking can be used to produce stamped parts that do not require the performance of secondary operations. Fourslide or multislide stamping incorporates the vertical motion of a punch with horizontal die applications from multiple directions, either simultaneously or successively. Progressive dies are used in production-efficient processes where multiple stamping operations are performed in successive stages or positions along the fabrication cycle.