In my experience working with sheet metal cutting equipment, I’ve often found myself comparing guillotine shears and swing shears. Each type of shear has its own unique advantages and applications, making them suitable for different tasks in metal fabrication. Guillotine shears are known for their straight-line cutting capabilities and precision, while swing shears offer versatility for angled cuts and intricate shapes. Over the years, I have gained insights into their operational mechanics and performance characteristics. In this article, I will explore the differences between guillotine shears and swing shears, helping you make informed decisions for your cutting needs.

Guillotine Shears

A Guillotine Shearing machine is a mechanical device designed for precisely cutting various types of sheet metal with a straight edge. It operates by vertically moving a blade in a straight line to shear the material against a fixed blade, creating a clean, straight cut.

These machines are commonly used in metal fabrication shops, manufacturing plants, and other industries where precise cutting of sheet metal is required. They come in various sizes, from small bench-top models for light-duty work to large industrial units capable of thick cutting metal sheets.

The main components of a Guillotine Shearing machine typically include a sturdy frame, a cutting blade, a back gauge (for precise positioning of the material), and a hydraulic or mechanical system to power the cutting action. Some modern models may also feature computerized controls for enhanced precision and efficiency.

Guillotine Shearing machines offer several advantages over other cutting methods, including high accuracy, speed, and the ability to cut large sheets of metal with minimal distortion. They are versatile tools suitable for cutting a wide range of materials, including steel, aluminum, brass, and copper.

Swing Shears:

While guillotine shears offer precision and straight cuts, swing shears provide a different approach to metal cutting. Also known as lever shears or circle shears, swing shears feature a pivoting blade mechanism that moves in an arc, similar to a pendulum. This swinging motion enables them to cut curves and irregular shapes with ease, making them a preferred choice for certain applications.

A Swing Shearing machine is a versatile and efficient tool used in the metalworking industry for cutting sheet metal into precise shapes and sizes. Its distinctive feature is the swinging motion of the upper cutting beam, which descends to perform the cutting action against a fixed lower blade. This swinging motion allows for a clear line of sight during cutting, enabling operators to achieve accurate and clean cuts across the entire length of the material.

Working Principle Is Different

Working principle of guillotine shears:

The guillotine shears machine adopts all-steel welding of frame structure; four-corner and eight-sided right-angle guide rail, high precision, good rigidity, and hydraulic pre-tensioning. The hydraulic system adopts two-way cartridge integrated valve; The entire system adopts; and can be equipped with stroke digital display, photoelectric protection device, and mobile workbench. The guillotine shear has the double-action function of the upper slide and the lower hydraulic cushion. The working pressure stroke can be adjusted within the specified range according to the process requirements. Convenient operation, centralized control by buttons.

Working principle of pendulum shears:

The hydraulic pendulum shears are arc-moving, and the arc blade is quite difficult to make. Generally, the shim is used to fill the shim after the blade, so the gap obtained is not accurate, and the cut sheet is not ideal. Because of the arc movement, the blade cannot be made into a rectangle but should be made into an acute angle, so the force of the blade is not ideal, and the blade damage is also severe.

The CNC shears are divided into gate shears and swing shears from the working principle. In addition to the different working principles, the guillotine shears and the swing shears have the following differences from the actual processing and use links:

⒈The precision of the guillotine shears can be higher, reaching twice that of the pendulum shears;

⒉The shear angle of the guillotine shears can be adjusted according to different plates, while the shear angle of the pendulum shears is fixed;

⒊The gate-type shearing machine has 4 blade-edge surfaces, while the gate-type machine has only 2 blade-edge surfaces. In the process of use, the knife-edge surface can be replaced, and the guillotine machine has more knife-edge surfaces and longer service life;

⒋The guillotine shearing machine has a wider range of use and is suitable for most metal sheet shearing processing. Stainless steel, aluminum alloy, and other metal sheets can be processed;

⒌The guillotine shearing machine is more expensive to produce, and the price of the Shenpu shearing machine is more expensive. From the perspective of cost-saving, if the precision of the shearing plate is very low and the thickness of the shearing plate is relatively thin, you can choose to buy a pendulum shearing machine.

⒍For sheet metal processing over 8mm, guillotine shears must be selected, because the principle of pendulum shears restricts it from cutting thick plates.