ERODE SENGUNTHAR ENGINEERING COLLEGE

(Approved by AICTE, New Delhi, Permanently Affiliated to Anna University – Chennai,

Accredited by National Board of Accreditation (NBA), New Delhi and
National Assessment & Accreditation Council (NAAC), Bangalore with ‘A’ Grade)
Thudupathi (Po.), Perundurai, Erode - 638 057.

DEPARTMENT OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERING

DESIGN AND FABRICATION OF PNEUMATIC SHEET

METAL CUTTING MACHINE

Guided by; Presented by;

Mr. P. Chokkalingam, T.K. Ashwinthangavelu 730416114005

Assistant professor, K.R. Bharanidharan 730416114008

Mechanical Engineering. N. Ragul 730416114033

 ABSTRACT
Sheet metal is simply a metal formed into thin and flat pieces. It is one of the
fundamental forms used in metal working and can be cut and bent into a variety of
different shapes. Countless everyday objects are constructed of the material. Thickness
can vary significantly ,although extremely thin thickness are considered foil or leaf and
pieces thicker than 6mm(0.25 in) are considered as plate. Sheet metal also has
applications in car bodies, airplane wings, roofs for buildings (Architectural) and many
others and study about high speed blades. The sheet metal cutting process is a main part
of all industries. Automation in modern world is inevitable. Any automatic machine is
aimed at the economical use of man, machine, and material worth the most. In our project
is to fabricate the machine for cutting operation. The sheet metal cutting machine works
with the help of pneumatic double acting cylinder. The piston is connected to the cutting
tool .It is used to cut the small size of sheet metal. The machine is portable in size, so
easily transportable.
 INTRODUCTION
The sheet metal cutting machine is the heart of sheet metal industries. In some industries,
hand sheet cutter is used which is operated manually. In these machines, we are using
pneumatic cylinder for sheet metal cutting. These machines should be easy to operate and
maintain also. Hence, we are introducing a pneumatic sheet metal cutting machine which will
reduce manufacturing coast and minimize industrial labor problems which is the biggest
headache for human. The main objective of our project is to perform job holding operation
effectively with less human effort by using a machine with the pneumatic power. This will
also reduce the time required for metal cutting. By using these machines we can increase the
production rate and automatically the industry will be profit. Automation plays an important
role in mass production. Automation can be achieved through pneumatic form. The main
advantage of pneumatic system is economically cheap and easy to handle.
TYPE OF CUTTING MACHINE
• Pneumatically operated
• Hydraulically operated
• Rack and pinion operated
• Spring operated
 LITERATURE REVIEW
Mr. K. Krantikumar and K.V. Saikiran et al [1] Pneumatic Sheet Metal
Cutting Machine (2016), they had used scissors for sheet metal cutting machine. There
are two cutting tool, one is moving cutter and fixed cutter, pneumatic is used to produce
the required pressure. The pressure which is applied on the moving cutter, the enough
shearing force is applied on the sheet metal by both the cutter.
Mr. Yogesh shinde, Mr. Pranav Petkar, Mr. Tejas Inamdar, et al [2]
Pneumatic Sheet Metal Cutting Machine (2014), they had used sheet metal cutting tool.
The control valve is used to control the pressure from air compressor with the help of
directional control valve. The double acting pneumatic cylinder is used for cutting action.
Mr. Shubhkumar Bandari, Prof. Rajkumar B. Chadge, et al [3] Methodology
of Special Purpose Sheet Metal Cutting Machine (2014), they used motor and belt drive
mechanism to connect the cutter to power motor. This tool reciprocates in only vertical
direction and sheet metal moves in X-Y direction, movement of sheet is controlled by
microcontroller with the help of nut lead screw and stepper motor
 Sahil Kearkar, Abhishek Gaonkar, Nandan Shirodkar, Vikesh

Hadfadkar et al [4] Design and Fabrication of Shearing Machine for glass fiber
sleeves (2015), their machine is the combination of electronics, mechanics and
pneumatics, the controller system (PLC) and stepper motor will be used to control
the feed and cutting action with the help of air cylinder .

Madhukumar. V, Arun kumar. N, Harsha.B.S, T.K.

Nagaraja et al [5] , they had used sheet metal cutter for accuracy cutting operation.
The cutter is made up of High Speed Steel, the pneumatic cylinder is used for the
cutting the sheet metal. The 5/2 control valve is used for controlling the pressure to
pneumatic from air compressor.
 OBJECTIVES
1.) To design and fabricate pneumatic sheet metal cutting
machine.
2.) To fabricate the cost efficient sheet metal cutting machine for
small scale industries and workshops.
3.) To fabricate the machine for mass cutting operation
4.) To reduce the man power in industries.
5.) To reduce time consumption for sheet metal cutting operation.
 METHODOLOGY
• The main goal of project studies is to study about pneumatic control system.

• Then, to study about double acting cylinder. Then, to study about the advantage
of pneumatic hand operated valve

• Then, to study about high speed blade and to design & fabrication pneumatic
sheet metal cutting machine

MATERIAL USED:
To prepare any machine part, the of material should be properly selected,
considering design, safety. The selection material is based on following factors,

• Availability of materials

• Suitability of the material for required component

• Cost of the materials

 SPECIFICATIONS

SHEET METAL MATERIAL ALUMINIUM

THICKNESS 0.5mm

LENGTH OF CUT 25mm

Max. SHEAR STRENGTH OF 30 N/𝑚𝑚2

ALUMINUM

Length of cut 25mm is assumed for doing the calculation to find force required and
diameter of pneumatic cylinder required
Max. shear strength of aluminum is 30N/mm^2 is noted and taken for the calculation
FORCE CALCULATION:
• Force required to cut the sheet = L*T*𝜏

Where,

L-Length of cut

T-Thickness of material

𝜏-Max. Shear strength of aluminum (30N/𝑚𝑚2 )

This is the force required to cut the sheet metal, however the initial force required
to cut the sheet is 10% to 20% than the calculated force.

F=25*0.5*30

F=375N
Force, F=375N
DESIGN FOR PNEUMATIC CYLINDER:
Pressure fixed in air compressor is 10 bar =1 N/𝑚𝑚2
Therefore,
Force applied by the cylinder, F= (𝜋/4) ∗ 𝑑 2 ∗ 𝑃
375 = (𝜋/4) ∗ 𝑑 2 ∗ (1 𝑁/𝑚𝑚2 )
d=21.85mm
As per the availability, we have taken the cylinder diameter as 32mm.
available:-32,40,50,63,80,100,125,160,200,250,320.

Where,
F-Force required for cutting operation
d- Diameter of pneumatic cylinder
P-Pressure (1N/𝑚𝑚2 )
 CONSTRUCTION
The pneumatic sheet metal cutting is supported by a table includes with support
arms to hold the sheet. The table also includes the two way directional control
valve. The two way directional control valve is also known as solenoid control
valve. We used two way directional control valve that is connected with the
compressor by air pipe. The compressor has a piston for a movable member. The
piston is connected to a crankshaft, which is in turn connected to a prime mover. At
inlet and outlet ports, valves allow air to enter and exit the chamber. When the
compressor is switched ON, the compressed air is flow to inlet of the pneumatic
cylinder. The sheet is placed between the upper and the lower blade. The lower
blade remains stationary while the upper blade is forced downward. The upper
blade is slightly offset from the lower blade, approximately 5-10% of the sheet
thickness. Also the upper blade is usually angled so that the cut progresses from
one end to the other, thus reducing the required force.
 WORKING PRINCIPLE
The sheet metal cutting machine works with the help of pneumatic double acting
cylinder. The piston is connected to the moving cutting tool. It is used to cut the small
size of the sheet metal. The machine is portable in size, so easily transportable. The
compressed air from the compressor is used as the force medium for this operation.
There are pneumatic double acting cylinder solenoid valves, flow control valve and the
timer unit is used. The arm from the compressor enters to the flow control valve. The
controlled air from the flow control valve enters to the solenoid valve. The function of
solenoid valves all of air correct time interval. The 5/2 solenoid valve is used. In one
position air enters to the cylinder and pushes the piston so that the cutting stroke is
obtained.The next position air enters to the other side of cylinder and pusses the piston
return back, so that the releasing stroke is obtained. The speed of the cutting and
releasing stroke is varied by the timer control unit circuit.
GENERAL LAYOUT
ADVANTAGES
• Easy maintenance and repair

• Low investing cost

• Air is available every wear can be stored easily

• High speed operation is possible without stopping

• All movement are pneumatically operated

• Clear and non-pollutant

• Technology can be easily learned

• Simple in construction

• No fire hazard problem due to over loading

DISADVANTAGES

• Silencer must be use while compressing the air

• High torque cannot be obtain

• Load carrying capacity is low

APPLICATION
• This machine is very useful for small scale industries

• These machines use to cut roller sheet metal

• All industrial application

• Car bodies

• Air plane wings

• Medical tables

• Roof for building and many other things

 CONCLUSION
The design and fabrication of pneumatic sheet metal cutting machine is totally
economical in human effort and useful in improvement if cost factory, show and
work place layout and design of plant and equipment. Now we now that pneumatic
machine is very cheap as compare to hydraulic cutting machine. The range of
cutting machine and thickness can be increased by arranging the high pressure
compressor and installing more harden blades, this machine is advantages to small
sheet metal cutting industries as they cannot afford the expensive hydraulic cutting
machine. This project work has provided us an excellent opportunity and
experience, to use our limited knowledge. We gained a lot of practical knowledge
regarding, planning, designing drawing, purchasing, computing and machining
while doing this project work. We feel that the project work is a good solution to
bridge the gates between institution industries.
 FUTURE SCOPE
Since old age man always time to gain and more luxurious. Man is always trending
to develop more and amore modified technique with the increasing the ascetic look
and economic consideration, hence there is always lot of scope but being and
having the diploma engineers and having the ability to think and plan but due to
the some time constraints, and also due to lack of front, we only have thought and
put in the report the following future modification.

• It can be made as rack and pinion operated or spring an leaver operated, by

replacing pneumatic circuit by rack and pinion arrangement by the square
threaded screw and nut arrangement

• The place where there is scarcity of the electricity the electric motor operate.
 REFERENCE
1. Mr. K. krantikumar & K. V. Saikiran, “Pneumatic Sheet Metal Cutting
Machine” International Journal and Magazine of Engineering, Technology,
Management and Research, 2016, ISSN No: 2348-4845.

2. Mr. Yogesh Shinde, Mr. Pranav Petkar, Mr. Tejas Inamdar, Mr. Swaraj
Relekar, “Pneumatic Sheet Metal Cutting Machine” WCOE, 2014-2015.

3. Mr. Shubhkumar Bandari, Prof. Rajkumar B. Chadge, “Methodology of

Special Purpose Sheet Metal Cutting Machine” International Journal of Pure and
Applied Research in Engineering and Technology, 2014, ISSN: 2319-507X,
Volume2 (9): 1-8.

4. Sahil Kearkar Abhishek Gaonkar,, Nandan Shirodkar, Vikesh Hadfadkar,

“Design and Fabrication of shearing machine for glass fiber sleeves”, International
Journal of Research in Engineering and Technology, 2015, eISSN: 2319-7308.
5. Madhukumar.V, Arun Kumar.N, Harsha.B S, NavinKumar. K.N, Nagaraja
T.K.2 International Journal of Engineering Research and Advance Technology
(IJERAT) ISSN: 2454-6135 [Special Volume. 02 Issue, 01, May-2016].
THANK YOU…