Additionally, Guillotine cutting machines are a common type of metalwork equipment companies use to meet their clients’ needs and specifications. You can use it to prepare metal for the next step of the shaping process or as a complete process to produce sheet metal fabrication. Bench shears are mounted on the workbench to provide a secure working environment. The lever operated mechanism provides a forceful cutting action. Bench shears can be used to cut out rough shapes and straight cuts in sheet, however, they are not suited to the more intricate cutting that is achievable with throatless shears. The “Rake Angle” is measured from left to right and decides how much of the sheet material is cut. If the angle is high, then less material is cut. This adjustment minimises sheet bowing and bending, resulting in a more accurate cut. Guillotines cut metal by using 2 blades; one is fixed under the workpiece, the other moves downwards to cut through the metal. Guillotines come in many sizes and are known by an array of names such as; guillotine shear, plate shear, squaring shear, Beverly, and throatless shear, but essentially, they all utilise the same mode of cutting.

As we move down the line of tools, we can see that the control panel on a top-tier guillotine has a lot of functions. There’s even a foot plate that’s part of the machine. Throatless guillotines have no plate in front of the blade to support the metal and no ‘throat’ to dictate a particular way the metal must be fed into the blades. This configuration makes it easy to manipulate the metal easily into the cutting blades. The blades are raised and lowered into and out of the metal by a hand operated lever.

Frequently Asked Questions

The big red button is the emergency stop, and the pedal next to it controls the direct-drive motor. The pedal actuates the air drive valves if the equipment is pneumatically powered. This big button stops the entire machine if something goes wrong, like if an operator gets hurt. Many higher-end equipment rigs come with fully automated metal guillotines that can be controlled via a computerised touchscreen interface. In many cases, these rigs don’t require a full-time operator, as they can be linked to a CAD (Computer-Aided Design) system.

The cut edge of the metal may need deburring or finishing after being cut with a guillotine, this can be done with a mill file or an aluminium oxide sanding sheet. If you’re thinking of buying either an industrial guillotine or the smaller hand-held guillotine, you need to consider the advantages of each. Mechanised cutting machines play an essential role in metal shaping by being able to cut the sheet with exact measurements and angles. We’ve sought to give businesses like yours access to all the equipment they need. And we’ve brought together a collection of guillotines and sheet metal cutting equipment that covers everything from hand shears, treadle, electro, swing beam and variable rake guillotines.

Surprisingly, even some of the most advanced guillotine shears actually rely on the same principle as a pair of scissors! Working materials are placed over a bladed cutting line, and a second blade is brought down from above at a precisely offset distance. This second blade is angled such that it distributes the force along the working piece gradually, instead of striking the whole piece flush. The guillotine can actually be used for a variety of tasks but is most commonly used for the basic cutting of the material into the correct size. Finding the correct metal-cutting guillotine See below the different features of Guillotine cutting machines and how you can use them properly. An Overview on Guilotine Cutting The Morgan Rushworth HSGS NC Swing Beam range of guillotines use our new advanced front light guard, with multiple beams directed across the front of the blade and hold downs. This system immediately switches the machine off if the beam is interrupted, ensuring the very best operator safety levels and improved views of the work piece as the traditional guard is no longer necessary. We’re here to help you understand what you need from your sheet metal guillotine, or any other sheet metal machinery for that matter. Whether it’s press brakes, pan brake folders, or anything else you need to get the sheet metalworking job done, you can look to us to help you make an informed decision on what you want for your business.