In the metal fabrication industry, precision and efficiency are everything no matter the project or the setting as both high-volume industrial work environments and specialised fabrication shops require metalworking reliability.
Much like press brakes, sheet metal guillotines are indispensable machinery when working with sheet metal operations. Playing their role in cutting and creating products and components, they’re useful for various industries, from construction and automobiles to furniture and electronics.
What Are Guillotine Shears?
The sheet metal guillotines are strong and durable machines consisting of a blade with shearing force to slice through the metal sheet with utmost accuracy. As there are varying projects, operational needs and metal sheets of a range of sizes and thicknesses, there are different shear guillotines available:
- Manual – As the name implies, these are manually operated shears. Since you get to work with one fixed and one movable blade using your own force, they’re best suited for thin metal sheets for fabrication of steel, brass and aluminium components.
- Mechanical – Powered by a mechanical drive system, these shears come with a vertically moving blade to cut the metal sheets against the fixed blade. Thanks to the motor power, they’re fit for high-volume production.
- Hydraulic – Relying on hydraulic pressure to do straight and clean cuts through sheet metals, including the rather thick ones, the hydraulic guillotines are perfect for heavy-duty applications.
Out of these three, the hydraulic sheet metal guillotines are the most popular. This is due to the presence of the hydraulic system which produces smoother and much more reliable and accurate cuts with precise angle adjustments and variable stroke lengths perfect for materials of different size – even narrow ones.
They’re also better if we compare the higher capacity with the large amount of pressure, the smoother operation, maintenance and the higher level of safety as opposed to the mechanical and manual counterparts.
Types of Hydraulic Guillotines
Suitable for different fabrication needs, from material type and thickness to production volume, hydraulic guillotines vary in their cutting mechanisms and features such as the cutting action and blade angle. As such, you get the following three types:
Hydraulic Swing Beam Guillotine
What is a swing beam guillotine? It’s a metal shear machine with a fixed-rake angle and a swing-beam cutting circular arc motion preferred for the clean and right-angled cuts.
The swing-beam hydraulic metal guillotines are common for cutting mild steel plates of 4mm, 5mm, and 6mm thicknesses, though there are some models that can handle up to 20mm. This makes them a great general-purpose application solution known for the high efficiency. An added benefit is they are economical too.
ASSET INDUSTRIAL SBHS-2504. Hydraulic Guillotine
- This model has a 2500mm x 4.0mm cutting capacity and features an E21s NC Programmable Back Gauge.
SM-SBHS2504. Hydraulic Guillotine Steelmaster
- This Steelmaster model offers a 2500mm x 4mm capacity and is equipped with a Power Ballscrew Back Gauge.
ASSET INDUSTRIAL SBHS-2506. Hydraulic Guillotine
- This guillotine provides a 2500mm x 6.5mm cutting capacity and includes an E21s NC Programmable Back Gauge.
SM-SBHS2504. Hydraulic Guillotine (with Rear Sheet Supports)
- This 2500mm x 4mm model features Rear Sheet Supports and a Power Ballscrew Back Gauge.
ASSET INDUSTRIAL SBHS-3206. Hydraulic Guillotine
- This machine has a 3200mm x 6.5mm cutting capacity and comes with an E21s NC Programmable Back Gauge.
ASSET INDUSTRIAL SBHS-3206. Hydraulic Guillotine (with Rear Light Gauge Sheet Supports)
- This is a 3200mm x 6.5mm capacity model that includes Rear Light Gauge Sheet Supports.
SM-SBHS2506. Hydraulic Guillotine. Steelmaster
- This Steelmaster model features a 2500mm x 6.5mm capacity and a Power Ballscrew Back Gauge.
SM-SBHS2506. Hydraulic Guillotine (with Rear Sheet Supports)
- This 2500mm x 6.5mm guillotine includes Rear Sheet Supports and a Power Ballscrew Back Gauge.
SM-SBHS3206. Hydraulic Guillotine. Steelmaster
- This model offers a 3200mm x 6.5mm cutting capacity and is equipped with a Ballscrew Back Gauge.
ASSET INDUSTRIAL SBHS-4006. Hydraulic Guillotine
- A larger model with a 4000mm x 6.5mm capacity and an E21s NC Programmable Back Gauge.
SM-SBHS3206. Hydraulic Guillotine (with Rear Sheet Supports)
- This 3200mm x 6.5mm guillotine features Rear Sheet Supports and a Power Ballscrew Back Gauge.
ASSET INDUSTRIAL SBHS-4006. Hydraulic Guillotine (with Rear Light Gauge Sheet Supports)
- This 4000mm x 6.5mm capacity model comes with Rear Light Gauge Sheet Supports.
SM-SBHS4006. Hydraulic Guillotine. Steelmaster
- This large Steelmaster guillotine has a 4000mm x 6.5mm capacity and a Power Ballscrew Back Gauge.
SM-SBHS3212. Hydraulic Guillotine. Steelmaster
- A heavy-duty model with a 3200mm x 12mm cutting capacity and a Power Ballscrew Back Gauge.
Hydraulic Vertical Slide Guillotine
If your business could benefit from different cutting programs, this is the metalworking machine solution you require. While not all models have it, some come with a programmable controller feature that lets you set the backgauge distance.
What the hydraulic vertical slide shearing machines are known for is the vertical cutting action that provides high precision with less material distortion.
SM-STHS1320. 240Volt. Hydraulic Guillotine
- A 240V hydraulic guillotine with a 1320mm x 2.0mm cutting capacity. It includes a back gauge and a roving foot pedal for operation.
SM-STHS2516. 240Volt. Hydraulic Guillotine
- This 240V model offers a 2470mm x 1.6mm cutting capacity. It is equipped with a back gauge and a roving foot pedal.
SM-STHS2516. 240Volt. Hydraulic Guillotine (Security Mesh Model)
- A specialized 240V guillotine designed for 7mm Diamond Security Mesh, featuring a 2470mm cutting width and a back gauge.
SM-STHS2504. Hydraulic Guillotine
- This hydraulic guillotine has a 2500mm x 4mm cutting capacity and features a back gauge and quick blade gap setting.
Hydraulic Variable Rake Guillotine
High-precision applications and heavy-duty operations call for adjustability which is what variable rake guillotine shears offer. These are advanced model machines, in the likes of the Baykal HNC series, and stand out with the adjustable rake angle – a handy feature that allows the operator to change the cutting angle according to the material’s thickness to get perfect results. The benefit from this is a reduction in the distortion and extension of the blade’s lifespan.
STEELMASTER-ADH-MS8-3208. Guillotine Variable Rake
- This model has a 3200mm x 8mm cutting capacity and features a P40T CNC Touch Screen controller.
STEELMASTER-MS8-3208PSS. Guillotine Variable Rake
- This model also has a 3200mm x 8mm capacity but comes equipped with Rear Pneumatic Sheet Supports.
STEELMASTER -MS8-4008. Guillotine Variable Rake
- This is a larger model with a 4000mm x 8mm cutting capacity and includes a P40T CNC Touch Screen Control.
STEELMASTER -MS8-4008PSS. Guillotine Vari Rake
- Similar to the one above, this guillotine has a 4000mm x 8mm capacity and includes Rear Pneumatic Sheet Support.
STEELMASTER -MS8-3213. Guillotine Variable Rake
- A heavy-duty model with a 3200mm x 13mm cutting capacity, controlled by a P40T CNC Touch Screen.
STEELMASTER -MS8-4013. Guillotine Vari Rake
- This model offers a 4000mm x 13mm cutting capacity and also features a P40T CNC Touch Screen Control.
Recommended Hydraulic Guillotines
There is an abundance of options available in the market, but the following are some of the popular:
Light to medium duty
When working with lighter fabrication tasks in smaller to medium workshops and custom shops, light to medium duty guillotines are more than efficient for the job. Some notable examples here include:
- SM-MPS1316. Guillotine Pneumatic Operation. Steelmaster: This is a compact, pneumatically operated guillotine with a 1270mm x 1.6mm mild steel shearing capacity. It features a heavy fabricated body, spring-activated hold down, and comes with front guides and a squaring arm. Other notable features are the remote foot control for operation. The sale price for this model is about $4,895 AUD (Ex GST).
For prices on the very lower end, though, you can find hand shears like the SM-HS12. Hand Shear. Steelmaster 300mm Throat Manual Type that go as low as $199 (Ex GST).
- SM-MS416 Guillotine Manual Treadle. Steelmaster: An economical and compact manual treadle shear with a 1270mm x 1.6mm cutting capacity, this easy-to-operate model of metal cutting guillotine features a full-length foot control and is suitable for smaller industrial or home workshops.
Medium to Heavy Duty
For the industrial settings, you need something more equipped with features and fit for the heavier tasks, which calls for:
- ASSET INDUSTRIAL SBHS-2504. Hydraulic Guillotine: This is a robust shear with a 2500mm x 4.0mm mild steel capacity and a 415V, 5.5Kw motor. It includes an Estun E21s NC programmable control on a swivel pendant, a precision ballscrew backgauge for high precision, and heavy-duty front support arms with roller-bearings. The sale price goes up to about $17,450 (Ex GST).
- SM-SBHS2504. Hydraulic Guillotine Steelmaster: A similar hydraulic option, this machine also has a 2500mm x 4mm mild steel cutting capacity and a 415V, 5.5Kw motor. It features a Power Ballscrew Back Gauge with an Etsun E10 controller and quick-action blade clearance adjustment. The price is about $15,990 (Ex GST).
- SM-EMS2500-3.2. Guillotine Electro Shear: This electro-shear model has a 2500mm x 3.2mm mild steel cutting capacity and a powerful 415V, 7.5Kw motor. It features a heavy-duty manual backgauge, roving foot-pedal operation, and a calibrated squaring arm with front sheet supports. The price is about $14,850 (Ex GST).
Heavy Duty Industrial
Demanding applications in industrial settings where maximum precision and durability are a must can only be handled with high-performance machines, such as:
- ASSET INDUSTRIAL SBHS-2506. Hydraulic Guillotine. 2500mm x 6.5mm, E21s NC Programmable Back Gauge
: Hydraulic Guillotine. 2500mm x 6.5mm, E21s NC Programmable Back Gauge
feature packed hydraulic guillotine offering all the modern day add on’s so you won’t be left short. Combining NC programmable precision ballscrew swing away back gauge, quick action blade gap setting and a very attractive price.
- Variable Rake 4000mm x 8mm Capacity, P40T CNC Touch Screen Control:
The VR Series hydraulic shears (or ADH Series Variable Rake hydraulic guillotines) are designed and constructed for heavy-duty industrial use. These units deliver excellent, highly accurate cutting performance, producing clean, square edges with exacting tolerance. They are equipped with numerous productive features and safety devices, offering a level of sophistication usually associated with more expensive machinery.
- Hydraulic Guillotine. Steelmaster 3200mm x 12mm with Power Ballscrew Back Gauge
: Combining precision ballscrew swing away backgauge, 250mm deep side throat, quick action blade gap setting and a very attractive price. Also available in models up to 9000mm in length & cutting capacities up to 30mm plate thickness on request.
Key Features to Consider
When browsing through the options of sheet metal guillotines for sale, it’s important to go over the basic considerations to determine the key features so you get the certainty your choice of machine meets your specific requirements. Look into things like:
- Cutting capacity: When looking for a hydraulic guillotine suitable for your business, getting the capacity right is of utmost importance. This is the maximum thickness of mild steel the machine can cut, and is typically indicated in millimetres. Different guillotines are rated for different capacities, so it’s important to select a model that can handle your material thickness. Be sure to also weigh future needs in case you plan on working with more material thicknesses than you already do.
- Cutting length: This is basically the maximum width of the sheet metal that can be cut with the machine in a single pass. This too is commonly indicated in millimetres.
- Motor and power: To be able to get them up and running, you need to provide them with an adequate power supply. Industrial-grade guillotines generally require a 415V, 3-phase power supply, while there are smaller models, like the MetalMaster SG-420 Hydraulic Guillotine, that can operate on 240V, single-phase power, too.
- Backgauge: Modern sheet metal guillotines come with highly accurate CNC-controlled and motorised backgauges. These are a welcome addition as they improve efficiency by allowing for rapid and precise positioning of the material.
- Blade gap adjustment: To ensure you get a clean and precise cut, you also need to get the blade gap right. Having a guillotine with the ability to adjust the clearance between the upper and lower blades is essential when working with different material thicknesses.
- Hydraulic system: While hydraulic guillotines are considered noisier than the mechanical, a high-quality system from brands like Bosch Rexroth can provide reduced noise and vibration while offering reliable and powerful performance.
Safety features: Modern shear machines often include safety elements such as photoelectric rear guarding, high-visibility front guards, and emergency stop buttons to protect operators. To prevent any accidents, check out the guidance on safe use of metal cutting guillotines, focusing on the specific machine parts and operation instructions as much as maintenance, repairs and potential risks.