Metal shearing or guillotining is a metalworking process used to cut or trim sheet metal, plate, or strip material using a guillotine or shear. This process involves applying a significant amount of force to a metal piece in order to separate it along a straight line. The result of metal shearing is a clean, straight-cut edge.

Here's how the metal shearing process generally works:

Preparation

The metal workpiece, often in the form of a sheet, plate, or strip, is positioned on the shear's bed or table.

Alignment

The workpiece is aligned properly using guides or markings to ensure that the desired cut line is accurately positioned.

Clamping

The workpiece is securely clamped in place to prevent movement during the shearing process.

Shearing

A moving blade or cutting tool descends onto the workpiece with significant force, exerting a shearing action against a fixed blade. This action causes the metal to yield and fracture along the intended cut line.

The guillotine's blades are typically designed to have a precise gap between them, which determines the thickness of the material that can be cut. Metal shearing is commonly used for cutting various types of metals, such as steel, aluminum, brass, and more. It's especially suitable for straight cuts and is often used for producing flat metal parts used in industries like manufacturing, construction, automotive, and more.

However, there are limitations to metal shearing:

• Complex shapes: Shearing is best suited for straight-line cuts, so it's not suitable for cutting complex or intricate shapes.
• Material thickness: The thickness of the material being sheared is limited by the shear's design and capacity.
• Deformation: Thicker or harder materials can experience some distortion along the cut edge due to the shearing process.