Flying shear

Types of flying shears

The flying shear is a special cutting device widely used in metal processing and manufacturing industries. It is called a "flying shear" because its cutting motion is coordinated with the movement of the material, resembling a flying or fluttering motion. There are several types of flying shears.

• Flying shears for horizontal rolling mills

  In horizontal rolling mills, the most commonly used types include disc-type flying shears, rotary flying shears, and oxy-fuel flying shears. Among these, the disc-type flying shears have gained widespread application due to their efficient shear cutting capabilities. Not only do they enable high-speed production, but they also result in less material wastage, making them an ideal choice for various manufacturing processes.

• By mechanism

  The mechanism of a flying shear includes an alternate mechanism and a rotary mechanism. The rotary mechanism is widely used due to its speed and accuracy.

• By Shear Type

  Flying shears can be classified into different types based on their shear forms. Among these, the open-type flying shear is the most commonly used. It shears materials by vertically shearing two blades, which allows for a wide range of applicable material specifications and provides good adaptability.

Specification and maintenance of flying shears

The following are specifications for flying shear cutting machines.

• Speed of flying shear: A defining feature of a flying shear is its cutting speed, which must match the speed of the production line or material being processed. The cutting speed typically ranges from 50 meters per minute to over 2000 meters per minute. It might be greater for high-speed industrial lines.
• Thickness: In general, the shear thickness ranges from 1 mm to 50 mm, depending on the material type and shape. For example, metal (steel, titanium, aluminum, etc.) flying shears are thicker than foam or film ones.
• Length of the cut flying shear: It ranges from 200 mm to 2000 mm. The cut-length is customizable, depending on the dimensions of the shearing devices.
• Materials The blades' materials used in a flying shear are typically high-carbon steel, stainless steel, titanium, aluminum alloy, etc. Steel is popular because of its tensile strength, cutting precision, and ability to withstand high speeds.
• Blade type: The blade shapes/types include straight blades, curved blades, circular blades, and others. The blade type affects the cutting quality and application range. For instance, circular flying shear blades are faster, while straight surfaces are more common for mechanical applications.
• Power: The power flying shears use ranges from 5 hp to 20 hp or higher, depending on the machine's size, capacity, and shearing force. Higher shearing capacity requires more power.

Maintenance

• Before operation: Check the machine's electrical parts, blades, frames, lubrication points, hydraulic systems, safety devices, etc. Look for loose, worn out, damaged, or faulty parts. Test the shear's functionality, ensuring all parts operate smoothly and as they should.
• During operation: It is critical to inspect the blades at regular intervals. Blade wear and tear may manifest in reduced cutting precision or chipping, cracking, or other damage. Operators should promptly lubricate the machine's moving parts and notify maintenance technicians to replace, sharpen, or repair the flying shear blade if they find issues with it.
• After operation: Clean the entire machine tool to remove residual dust and oil to keep it clean. Do a lubrication refill for its parts to avoid a dry and friction-prone machine. Finally, inspect all parts again and look for damages, loose parts, oil leaks, etc., and make timely repairs.

Application scenarios of flying shear

Application scenarios for a flying shear machine are primarily in various metal industries, such as construction, automotive, aerospace, pipelines, ship-making industries, etc., where different metal materials need to be cut with great precision and accuracy simultaneously. Here are some of its application scenarios.

• Cutting-Length Material Shearing: A flying shear is used widely in a steel production line. It cuts a hot-rolled steel strip to a specified length. It is also used to cut various bars, angles, channels, and plates within a single motion without any delay. This machine greatly improves efficiency and is an essential to-go machine for a seamless steel production line.
• Coil to Sheet Cutting: A flying machine assists in cutting a steel coil into sheets in one motion. It is usually done in a steel processing line with a steel coil.
• Cutting Different Materials: A flying shear can cut various materials made from metal. They all have different levels of thickness. Examples include stainless steel, alloy steel, aluminum, copper, brass, AR plate, etc. The kinds of materials cannot be listed here all, but generally, if it is made from metal and has some level of thickness, a flying shear can probably cut it through.
• Cutting Differently Profiles: A flying shear is a suitable choice for cutting various professional profiles. It is one with great production efficiency. It also cuts down on the production costs for businesses.
• Kinds of Shears: A flying shear machine can work with many kinds of shears. For example, disc flying shears, rotary flying shears, knife-type flying shears, etc. All the shears are suitable for cutting certain types of metal materials with various thicknesses.

How to choose a flying shear

When shopping for a flying shear, buyers have to keep in mind a few essential factors that could influence their purchase decision. To begin with, they should get familiar with the different types of flying shears used for various application purposes. They should know which type best suits the machinery they're working with before going ahead to make a purchase. For example, a mechanical flying shear works great for heavy-duty industrial use but not necessarily for light-scale operations where an electrically operated shear would suffice better.

Next, consider the compatibility of the flying shear with existing production lines or equipment. Can it fit seamlessly into what is already being used without causing any disruptions? If so, then go ahead and purchase that fly shear fencing cutter because it's going to work better than anything else would have. Also, buy a machine that can be easily maintained over time since regular upkeep ensures longevity.

Flying shears come in a range of sizes and capacities depending on the scale of operations they are meant for; hence it is important to match their size/capacity with production requirements at hand. Additionally, ensure that the quality of materials used during manufacturing processes is high so as to prevent any unnecessary breakages from occurring frequently which can hold up work processes.

Finally, we now live in a digital age where everything is online; take advantage of user reviews/findings before making a decision on what type of flying shear to go for as this will help guide one towards making better choices when purchasing these types of tools.

Flying shear Q&A

Q: How does a flying shear work?

A: In general, a flying shear connects to a moving material stream. It cuts as the material moves. Then, it may also reposition the cut material further down if necessary. The cut may be assisted by a moving conveyor or table. The Shear may also use a press or hold-down mechanism to stabilize the moving material while cutting.

Q: What are the differences between a flying shear and a static shear?

A: A static shear is a cutting device that typically uses two moving blades. They move toward each other to cut a material. One blade moves downward, while the other moves upward. A static shear requires a material to be stationary. On the other hand, a flying shear can be part of a production line where an operator does not need to stop feeding material into the line repeatedly.

Q: What are some advantages of a flying shear?

A: Some benefits include the ability to process material at high speeds and maintain cutting accuracy.

Q: What are some disadvantages of the flying shear?

A: It can be more expensive than a static shear because of the synchronization between the blade and the moving material. Maintenance costs can also be higher.