In earlier times, the Wright brothers used 30-pound blocks of aluminum while making its engine. Aluminum has low density and high strength properties which makes it a very popular choice to make aircraft components. Sometimes aluminum alloys are also incorporated in making components. These alloys include copper metals.
Besides aluminum, steel is another go-to option for this industry. Having high tensile strength, three times stronger than aluminum makes it reliable to make stuff like hinges, cables & fasteners where strength plays a decisive role.
Titanium is also one metal that is used these days in aircraft. The temperature resistance and high corrosion resistance makes it useful for making parts like wings and landing gear.

What is Sheet Metal Machine?

Sheet Metal Machine is a working process that can be helpful in performing certain tasks on the metal sheets like turning, punching, shearing, folding, cutting, etc. Stainless steel and Galvanised Steel are commonly used sheet metal for multiple industries like automobiles, aircraft, machinery, etc. It depends upon the choice of an industry that which metal sheets they can utilize. There are plenty of options available on the market e.g. aluminum, copper, brass, titanium, steel, nickel, etc. All of them can be converted into sheets. We can even make sheets out of gold.
The crux is all those metals having a malleable property that can be transformed into sheets.

Metal sheets machines run on an automated system that is once fixed at the desired output and the machine produces sheets of the same thickness and length. The measurements are pre-decided according to their requirements and then the machine can produce the same type of sheets repetitively.

Effectiveness of Steel Metal Machinery & its Applicability in Aircrafts

Sheet Metal Industry is thus the oxygen for the Aircraft Industry as it supplies the metal sheets for aircraft that are further used in the production of various components.

In general usage too steel metal machinery has established its wide usage with the automobile, medical utility, architecture, electricals, etc.

In aircraft, as earlier mentioned, its wide utility can be observed in making fuselage and wings. However, aluminum metal sheets can be used in the main body accounting for its low density.

Therefore, this industry is sought for the aircraft industry as it procures the raw material which is the fundamental requirement for the aircraft.

The Bottom Line

Bhavya Machine tools, having headquartered in Ahmedabad, are the one-stop solutions for such raw materials. We are specialized in supplying Sheet metal machinery, workshop machines, lathe machine, etc. It deals in a niche market for Engineering machinery/ tools which makes it one of the specialized suppliers. Its growing network of distributors and corporate clients helps the company to unleash its potential and penetrate the market further. The company is growing by leaps and bounds by exploring new domestic as well as international markets.

A shearing machine has several functions like cutting through hard metal sheets, cloth, plates of metal and several other types of material. This machine can be powered in many different methods like it can be pneumatic, hydraulic or electric. This shearing machine has sturdy blades that are made from sturdy high carbon steel. This is one of the most popular machines used in the metal manufacturing industry.

What is a Shearing machine?

A shearing machine specializes in steel sheet metal cutting. It is essentially as per the structure of a sub-gantry shears, discs shears, punching, etc. There are several types of shears, for example, the gantry shears can cut the straight edge of the sheet of wool bud. The aim of the shearing process is to make sure that sheared surfaces are straight and parallel with minimum plate distortion.

Types of Shearing machines?

There are several types of Shearing machines as per the list here:

• Alligator shear:

This has a hinged jaw to cut metal and hence it is named as alligator shear. It is powered with the help of hydraulic cylinder and mainly comes in use for cutting long metal stock. This includes angle, iron, pipes, l-beams, etc.

• Bench shear:

The bench mounted shear is ideal for cutting rough shapes from a medium sized sheet metal to offer an additional mechanical advantage via a compound mechanism.  Hence larger the machine, greater is the stress withstanding power to produce a better burrs free cuts.

• Guillotine:

A guillotine is a machine that consists of a shear table, a work holding device as well as a gauging device along with upper and lower shears. This can be either mechanical or hydraulic and even powered by foot.  The moving blade is kept straight or can even be set on an angle. The aim of getting the setting right is to reduce the amount of force required to cut a large metal piece.

• Power shears:

The power shear is the optimal selection of machine for blanking large piece of sheet metal. It can be operated both electrically and pneumatically. It can cut in straight lines or large radius curves and are more flexible, efficient, accurate, and durable with better finish quality.

• Throat-less shear:

This type of sheer is the best one to use to make a straight, intricate curved or irregular cuts as well as throat less sheer. The main difference being that its design allows it to move round freely.

• Snips

This is a type of hand too that can cut sheet metal and is of few different types like snips, tinner snips, compound action snips. The tin snips have a circular pattern, the hawks bill pattern can cut radii on the inside and outside of circles but require sharp turns when cutting.

• Nibblers

The nibbler also works like tin snips that work of a punch and die formation. The main benefit being it is robust and durable and has an ability to produce distortion free cuts, it is fast and has a low force feed.

Future of Shearing Machines

Although the principle of shearing is the same there are several improvements coming into the section of NC and CNC. The machines are shifting in the digital era and tend to have lesser controls to operate. They only have the bare minimum control and a digital readout or a push button for essential purposes.

There are also some advancements and future scope for improvements in the control technology, accuracy, back gauge speeds. Additionally, usages of ball-screw and servo drives are making the shear more valuable and cost effective.