DESIGN AND FABRICATION OF PNEUMATIC

SHEET METAL CUTTING MACHINE

A PROJECT REPORT
Submitted by

HARAN.G (Reg.No.822218114016)

INIYAVAN.P (Reg. No. 822218114019)

SRIBALAN.R (Reg. No. 822218114042)

SRIMAN.R (Reg. No. 822218114043)

In partial fulfillment for the award of the degree

of

BACHELOR OF ENGINEERING

IN

MECHANICAL ENGINEERING

UNIVERSITY COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING THIRUKKUVALAI

ANNA UNIVERSITY:: CHENNAI 600 025

MAY 2021

i
 ANNA UNIVERSITY: CHENNAI 600 025

BONAFIDE CERTIFICATE

Certified that this project report “DESIGN AND FABRICATION OF

PNEUMATIC SHEET METAL CUTTING MACHINE” is the bonafide
work of “G.HARAN (822218114016), P.INIYAVAN (822218114019),
R.SRIBALAN (822218114042), and R.SRIMAN (822218114043)” who
carried out the project work under my supervision.

SIGNATURE SIGNATURE

Dr.S.MAHENDRAN, ME,Ph.D, Mr.AZHAGUNAMBI, M.E.,

HEAD OF THE DEPARTMENT SUPERVISOR
Department of Mechanical Engineering Department of Mechanical Engineering
University college of Engineering, University college of Engineering,
Thirukkuvalai. Thirukkuvalai.

Examined on:

INTERNAL EXAMINER EXTERNAL EXAMINER

ii
 DECLARATION

I hereby declare that the work entitled “DESIGN AND FABRICATION OF

PNEUMATIC SHEET METAL CUTTING MACHINE” is submitted in
partial fulfillment of the requirement for the award of the degree in B.E,
University College of Engineering, Thirukkuvalai is a record of my own work
carried out by me during the academic year 2020-2021 under the supervision
and the guidance of Mr.R.AZHAGUNAMBI, ME., Department of Mechanical
Engineering, University College of Engineering, Thirukkuvalai. The extent and
source of information are derived from the existing literature and have been
indicated through the dissertation at the appropriate places. The matter
embodied in this work is original and has not been submitted for the award of
any other degree or Diploma, either in this or any other University.

HARAN.G (822218114016)

INIYAVAN.P (822218114019)

SRIBALAN.R (822218114042)

SRIMAN.R (822218114043)

Verify that the declaration made above by the candidate is true.

Signature of the guide,

MR.R.AZHAGUNAMBI, M.E.,
TEACHING FELLLOW,
DEPARTMENT OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERING

iii
 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

First and foremost, our thanks are to the almighty, the great Architect of
the universe, who blessed us to successfully pursue our Bachelor of Engineering
and to successfully accomplish our project.
First of all we thank God almighty for his blessings without which we
would have not initiated the project. We also express our heartful thanks to our
honourable Dean Dr. M. DURAIRASAN, M.E., Ph.D., for allowing us to do
this mini project.
We also thanks to Dr. S. MAHENDRAN, M.E., Ph.D., Head,
Department of Mechanical Engineering for his constant encouragement to carry
out this thesis Work.
We are extremely grateful to our project co-ordinator Dr. S. THULASI,
M.Tech., Ph.D., for affording all necessary permission, inspiring guidance,
advice, encouragement and extending all facilities during the course of the mini
project for the successful completion of this project.
We express our sense of reverence and offer our thanks with profound
gratitude to our project guide Mr. R. AZHAGUNAMBI M.E., Teaching
fellow, Department of Mechanical Engineering for him excellent motivation
and courage infused in us.
We also thank all the faculty members of Department of Mechanical
Engineering for supported us.
We express our sincere gratitude to our dear parents who have been the
major contributor of inspiration and encouragement to us throughout our carrier.

iv
 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.
Thicknesses can vary significantly, although extremely thin thicknesses are
considered foil or leaf, and pieces thicker than 6 mm (0.25 in) are considered
plate. Sheet metal also has applications in car bodies, airplane wings, medical
tables, roofs for buildings (Architectural) and many other things. Sheet metal of
iron and other materials with high magnetic permeability, also known as
laminated steel cores, has applications in transformers and electric machines.
There are three primary procedures in Layout. They are Parallel, Radial, and
Triangulation. The major aim to our experiment is to study about pneumatic
control system, study about double acting cylinder, study about the advantage of
pneumatic hand operated valve and study about high speed blade.

v
 TABLE OF CONTENT

CHAPTER TITLE PAGE

NO. NO.
ABSTRACT V
LIST OF FIGURE ix
1 INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND OF 1
THE PROJECT
1.1 SHEET METAL CUTTING 1
PROCESS
1.1.1 Cutoff and Parting of Sheet Metal 2
1.1.2 Punching and Slotting 2
1.1.3 Blanking of Sheet Metal 2
1.1.4 Sheet Metal Slitting 3
1.1.5 Perforating of Sheet Metal 4
1.2 TYPES OF CUTTING MACHINES 4
1.2.1 Pneumatically Operated 4
1.2.2 Hydraulically Operated 5
1.2.3 Rack and Pinion Operated 5
1.2.4 Spring Operated 5
1.3 ADVANTAGES OF SHEET METAL 6
CUTTING MACHINE
1.4 DISADVANTAGES OF SHEET 6
METAL CUTTING MACHINE
1.5 APPLICATIONS 6

2 LITERATURE SURVEY 7
3 CONSTRUCTION OF EXPRIMENTAL 13
MODEL

vi
 3.1 PROPOSED METHOD 13
3.2 CONSTRUCTION 14
3.3 WORKING 14
3.3.1 Control of Pneumatic Energy 15
3.3.2 Sheared edge 16
3.3.3 Shearing 17
3.3.4 Pneumatic Transmission of Energy 18
3.3.5 Control of Pneumatic Energy 19
3.3.6 Control of Pressure 19
3.3.7 Control of Pressure after 19
Compression
3.4 DATA ANALYISES 19
3.4.1 Cylinder thrust 19
3.4.2 Theoretical air consumption 20
3.4.3 Sheet metal cutting force 20
4 HARDWARE IMPLEMETATION 21
4.1 PNEUMATIC CYLIDERS 21
4.2 2/2DIRECTIONAL CONTROL 22
VALVE
4.3 3/2 DIRECTIONAL CONTROL 22
VALVE
4.4 5/2 DIRECTIONAL CONTROL 23
VALVE
4.5 HIGH SPEED STEEL BLADE 23
4.6 STIANLESS STEEL 23
5 ADVANTAGES AND FUNCTIONALITIES 25
5.1 USAGE OF SHEET METAL 25
5.2 ADVANTAGES OF PROPOSED 25

vii
 WORK
5.3 LIMITATIONS 25
6 CONCLUSION OF FUTURE SCOPE 26
7 COST ESTIMATION 27
8 REFERENCES 28

viii
 LIST OF FIGURES

FIGURE TITLE PAGE

NO. NO.
1.1 Cutoff vs parting 2
1.2 Blanking vs punching 3
1.3 Slitting of sheet metal 3
1.4 Perforating 4
3.1 Schematic representation of proposed methodology 13
3.2 Functioning 15
3.3 Sheared edge 17
4.1 Pneumatic cylinder 21
4.2 2/2directional control valve 22
4.3 3/2 directional control valve 22
4.4 5/2directional control valve 23

ix
 CHAPTER 1
INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND OF THE PROJECT

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. Thicknesses can vary
significantly, although extremely thin thicknesses are considered foil or leaf, and pieces
thicker than 6 mm (0.25 in) are considered plate. Sheet metal is available in flat pieces or as a
coiled strip. The coils are formed by running a continuous sheet of metal through a roll slitter.
The thickness of the sheet metal is called its gauge. Commonly used steel sheet metal ranges
from 30 gauges to about 8 gauge. The larger the gauge number, the thinner the metal. Gauge
is measured in ferrous (iron based) metals while nonferrous metals such as aluminum or
copper are designated differently; i.e., Copper is measured in thickness by ounce. There are
many different metals that can be made into sheet metal, such as aluminum, brass, copper,
steel, tin, nickel and titanium. For decorative uses, important sheet metals include silver, gold
and platinum (platinum sheet metal is also utilized as a catalyst). Sheet metal also has
applications in car bodies, airplane wings, medical tables, roofs for buildings (Architectural)
and many other things. Sheet metal of iron and other materials with high magnetic
permeability, also known as Slaminated steel cores.

1.1 SHEET METAL CUTTING PROCESSES

Sheet metal cutting is a major classification for many different press working
operations. Cutting operations involve the separation of the metal of the sheet in certain areas.
This separation is caused by shearing forces acting on the metal through the edges of the
punch and die. Press working, a term referencing sheet metal operations in general, involves
the working of a sheet between two die. In press working, the upper die is called a punch.
Sheet and plate generally refers to rolled metal with a high surface area to volume ratio. The
difference is that sheet metal is less than 1/4 inch (6mm) in thickness, while plate metal is
thicker. Most of the sheet metal cutting processes discussed can be performed on both sheet
and plate metal, although for many sheet metal operations difficulties will arise with
increasing plate thickness. Usually "sheet" and "sheet metal" is also referencing plate. Some
sheet metal cutting processes are

1
1.1.1 Cutoff And Parting Of Sheet Metal
Cuttoffs and partings are important basic sheet metal cutting processes performed in
manufacturing industry. Cutoffs need not be straight; rather they may be over several lines
and or curves. Partings are similar, in that a discrete part is cut from a sheet or strip of metal
along a desired geometric path. The difference between a cutoff and a parting is that a cutoff
can be nestled perfectly on the sheet metal, due to its geometry. With cutoffs, the cutting of
sheet metal can be done over one path at a time and there is practically no waste of material.
With partings, the shape cannot be nestled precisely. Partings involve cutting the sheet metal
along two paths simultaneously. Partings waste a certain amount of material that can be
significant.

Fig.1.1. Cutoff Vs Parting

1.1.2 Punching And Slotting

Punching is also a basic sheet metal cutting process that has many different forms and
applications in press working manufacture. Punching involves cutting out a piece of material
from a metal sheet. The material removed may be round or some other shape. This excess
metal, once punched out, is called a slug and is usually discarded as scrap. Slotting is a type
of punching operation. Slotting refers specifically to the punching of rectangular or elongated
holes.

1.1.3 Blanking Of Sheet Metal

Blanking is the cutting of a sheet metal part along a closed contour in one step. The
piece cut out is called a blank and may be further processed. Many blanks are often

2
continuously cut out of a sheet or strip. Blanking will waste a certain amount of material.
When designing a sheet metal blanking process, the geometry of the blanks should be nestled
as efficiently as possible to minimize material waste. A distinction should be made between
the two sheet metal cutting processes of blanking and punching, since essentially they are the
same process. In punching, the piece cut out is waste. In blanking, the piece cut out is the
work and is kept.

Fig.1.2.Blanking Vs Punching

1.1.4 Sheet Metal Slitting

Slitting is a shearing process in which the sheet metal is cut by two opposing circular
blades, like a can opener. Slitting can be performed in a straight line or on a curved path. The
circular sheet metal cutters can be driven, or the work may be pulled through idle cutters.
Slitting usually produces a burr that must be removed.

Fig.1.3.Slitting of Sheet Metal

3
1.1.5 Perforating Of Sheet Metal
Sometimes it is desirable to punch many holes in a piece of sheet metal, often in a
certain pattern. These holes may be round or some other shape. Perforating sheet metal will
allow for the passage of light or fluid material through the sheet. It can often serve in
ventilation and filtration of fluid substances. Perforated sheet metal is also used in structure
and machine construction, to reduce weight and for cosmetic appearance. Special equipment
is employed that punches many holes at once, at a high rate. In industrial manufacturing
practice, the size of these holes is usually from .04 inches to 3 inches, (1-75mm). The upper
rate at which some special perforating machines can punch holes is 100,000 to 300,000 per
minute.

Fig.1.4.Perforating

1.2 TYPES OF CUTTING MACHINES

1.2.1 Pneumatically operated

Here is the advancement of the header which is carried out in the upward and
downward direction using the pneumatic double acting piston and cylinder unit arrangement
along with the foot operated direction control valve. In this type of machine high pressure air
is used as the working fluid for the transfer of power and the motion.

4
1.2.2 Hydraulically operated
Here the lowering and rising of the header which is carried over using the hydraulic
piston and cylinder arrangement. To actuate the piston and cylinder, the oil is allow entering
the cylinder for front or backing side of the piston. But the oil is comparatively cost layer and
it is leakage may cause so many problem.

1.2.3 Rack and pinion operated

Here the lowering and raising of the header carried out manually using the rack and
pinion arrangement. In this case the required pressure is applied manually using direct hand
pressure on the rack using pinion and leaver arrangement. Since the machine robust and
required large pressure, hence it is not suitable.

1.2.4 Spring operated

The working of spring operated machine is similar to rack and pinion operated
machine but differs for it in construction. Here the lowering and the raising of the heating
handle are carried out manually and it required too much pressure for its operation also there
possibility to having damage to the work piece if not handled carefully. To prepare any
machine part, the type of material should be properly selected, considering design, safety.
Selection of material for engineering application is given by following factor:
1. Availability of material.
2. Suitability of the material for the required component.
3. Cost of the material.

1.3 ADVATAGES OF PNUEMATIC CUTTING MACHINE

 No fire hazard problem due to over Easy maintenance and repair.
 Low investing cost.
 Air is available every wear can be stored easily.
 High speed operation performed.
 Relatively low cost is produced
 Continuous operation is possible without stopping.
 All movement is pneumatically operated.
 Clear and non-pollutant.

5
  Technology can be easily learned.
 Simple in construction.
 No fire hazard problem due to over loading.

1.4 DISADVANTAGES OF PNEUMATIC SHEET METAL CUTTING

MACHINE
 Silencer must be use while compressing the air.
 High torque cannot be obtained.
 Load carrying capacity is low.

1.5 APPLICATIONS
 This machine is very useful for small scale industries.
 These machines use to cut roller sheet metal.
 All industrial applications.
 Car bodies.
 Air plane wings.
 Medical tables.
 Roof s for building (architectural) and many other things.

6
 CHAPTER 2
LITERATURE SURVEY

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.
We are using scissors for simple sheet metal cutting. It is a manual method so that
sheet metals are to be wasted sometime because of mistakes happened such as wrong
dimensions etc., and also even a simple cutting may take long time.Hydraulic machines are
also available for sheet metal cutting. But this method is used for only heavy metal cutting
and its cost is very high. We are using a pneumatic system for sheet metal cutting in a easy
way. It is operated by a pneumatic hand lever of two ways control valve.Control valve is
operated by a compressor.

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.
Special purpose machines are not available off the shelf. These machines are designed
and made as per the customer's specific requirements. It is designed for getting higher
efficiency and economy in desired condition. The recent developments in digital technology,
have now enabled us to make low cost machines for real time applications. The aim of this
paper is to present the concept of special purpose mild steel sheet cutting machine using
single point cutting tool and easily available low cost microcontrollers.

Khagendra barman and near Ali (2017), “Fabrication of a pneumatic sheet

metal cutting machine” published by Chittagong University of Engineering
and technology.
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. Thicknesses can vary

7
significantly, although extremely thin thicknesses are considered foil or leaf, and pieces
thicker than 6 mm (0.25 in) are considered plate. Sheet metal also has applications in car
bodies, airplane wings, medical tables, roofs for buildings (Architectural) and many other
things. Sheet metal of iron and other materials with high magnetic permeability, also known
as laminated steel cores, has applications in transformers and electric machines. There are
three primary procedures in Layout. They are Parallel, Radial, and Triangulation. The major
aim to our experiment is to study about pneumatic control system, study about double acting
cylinder, study about the advantage of pneumatic hand operated valve and study about high
speed blade.

Aryan Pratihar, “Design and Fabrication of Pneumatic Sheet Metal

Cutting and Punching Machine” July 2020; International Journal of
Engineering and Technical Research
Metal in the form of sheets is paramount in the manufacturing industry. Its
applications are countless. But metal in the form of sheets cannot be directly used, operations
like cutting, punching, blanking, bending, trimming, etc. are needed to be carried out on the
metal sheets in order to fully utilize them. For these operations, most large scale
manufacturing industries use hydraulically operated machines. But since hydraulic machines
are not cost-effective, most small and medium scale industries use hand-operated machines
for carrying out sheet metal operation. The problem with hand-operated machines is that they
are slow and cannot be automated. This is where the concept of pneumatics will prove itself
advantageous. We are developing a pneumatically operated cutting and punching machine
which will use the help of compressed air to drive a shearing blade and punch to carry out the
operations on a metallic sheet. The machine is designed to cut 1mm thick aluminium sheets
and 0.5mm thick copper sheets very easily. The main components of developed pneumatic
system are compressor, pipelines, double-acting cylinder, an actuator, and flow control
valves. This machine will thus, prove it cost-effective and also save a lot of time in
manufacturing process as two operations can be performed on the same platform.

8
Asha P B, Raju B R, Prakash B, Rithwick V M, Vikram K, Yahiya Khan,
“Automatic Pneumatic Sheet Metal Cutting Machine’, 2018 IJCRT |
Volume 6, Issue 2 April 2018 | ISSN: 2320-2882; International Journal of
Creative Research Thoughts (IJCRT)
The recent advancements in technology have now enabled us to make low-cost
machines for Real time applications. This paper presents a simple way of designing and
implementing an automatic sheet metal cutting machine using easily available low-cost
pneumatic, sensor & micro-controllers. A pressure from the pneumatic cylinder is enough for
operating the shearing machine unit. The pressurized air from the compressor, actuates the
pneumatic cylinder, power from the piston is transmitted to the shear cutting blades. Sheet
metal is fed through the roller and the sensor fixed at a particular position senses the sheet
and sends command to the blades to cut the sheet metal. This entirely eliminates the human
intervention.

AvinashJathar, AvinashKushwaha,Utkarsh Singh, Prof. Subhash Kumar,

Fabrication and Review of Hydraulic Heavy Sheet Metal Cutting machine,
Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research , Volume 3,
Issue 4, April 2016,pp 37-41.
This machine is for sheet metal industry and can be made into multiple machines and
should be used as circle cutting cum straight cutting machine .The machine is simple to
maintain easy to operate. Hence we tried out hands on Hydraulic Shearing Machine in
shearing operation as the punch descends upon the metal, the pressure exerted by the punch
first cause the plastic deformation of the metal. Since the clearance between the punch and
the die is very small, the plastic deformation takes place in a localized area and the metal
adjacent to the cutting edges of the punch and die edges becomes highly stressed, which
causes the fracture to start on both sides of the sheet as the deformation progresses. The idea
of the project generated due to a manual sheet metal sheering machine in workshop of our
college. In that machine sheet metal is placed in between the two sheering blades of machine
and the lever is pulled down to move the upper movable blade and cut the work-piece.

9
AvinashJathar, AvinashKushwaha,Utkarsh Singh, Prof. Subhash Kumar,
Fabrication and Review of Hydraulic Heavy Sheet Metal Cutting machine,
Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research , Volume 3,
Issue 4, April 2016,pp 37-41.
This machine is for sheet metal industry and can be made into multiple machines and
should be used as circle cutting cum straight cutting machine .The machine is simple to
maintain easy to operate. Hence we tried out hands on Hydraulic Shearing Machine in
shearing operation as the punch descends upon the metal, the pressure exerted by the punch
first cause the plastic deformation of the metal. Since the clearance between the punch and
the die is very small, the plastic deformation takes place in a localized area and the metal
adjacent to the cutting edges of the punch and die edges becomes highly stressed, which
causes the fracture to start on both sides of the sheet as the deformation progresses. The idea
of the project generated due to a manual sheet metal sheering machine in workshop of our
college. In that machine sheet metal is placed in between the two sheering blades of machine
and the lever is pulled down to move the upper movable blade and cut the work-piece.

Swapnil Laxman Gaikwad, Rohit Ramnath Pawar, Mayur Bapu Gunjal,

Pritam Bajirao Bhawar, Design & development of pneumatic shearing
machine, International Journal of Advanced Research in Science &
Engineering, January 2017
Today in the rapid competition of the industries to get the best quality of the product
in the minimum required time is the main aim of industries. To get the best quality and
maximum production most advanced machines are used. But there is no facts that use nly the
advanced machines, to maintain their performance is real requirement of the industries, also
to give proper facilities to the workers with good environmental condition and to reduce their
efforts is one of the objects to achieve the best quality and high production.

Madhu Kumar V “ Design and Fabrication of Pneumatic Sheet Metal

Cutting and Bending Machine. International Journal of Engineering
Research And Advanced Technology (IJERAT).
Metal in the form of sheets is paramount in the manufacturing industry. Its
applications are countless. But metal in the form of sheets cannot be directly used, operations

10
like cutting, punching, blanking, bending, trimming, etc. are needed to be carried out on the
metal sheets in order to fully utilize them. For these operations, most large scale
manufacturing industries use hydraulically operated machines. But since hydraulic machines
are not cost-effective, most small and medium scale industries use hand-operated machines
for carrying out sheet metal operation. The problem with hand-operated machines is that they
are slow and cannot be automated. This is where the concept of pneumatics will prove itself
advantageous. We are developing a pneumatically operated cutting and punching machine
which will use the
help of compressed air to drive a shearing blade and punch to carry out the operations on a
metallic sheet. The machine is designed to cut 1mm thick aluminium sheets and 0.5mm thick
copper sheets very easily. The main components of developed pneumatic system are
compressor, pipelines, double-acting cylinder, an actuator, and flow control valves. This
machine will thus, prove itself cost-effective and also save a lot of time in manufacturing
process as two operations can be performed on the same platform.

Vishal Tambat, Nilkanth Rane, Omkar Savant, 4Pankaj Yadav. Pneumatic

Shearing and Bending Machine, IJRRCME, Vol. 2, Issue 1, pp: (9-18),
Month: April 2015 – September 2015.
The shearing machine and bending machine is most important in sheet metal industry.
This machine should be used for straight cutting machine with wide application. But in some
industry hand sheet cutter and hand bender are used. For that machine to operate the human
effort are required. The machine should be simple to operate and easy to maintain, hence we
tried out to develop the Pneumatic Shearing and Bending Machine. In shearing operation as
the punch descends upon the metal, the pressure exerted by the punch first cause the plastic
deformation of the metal. Since the clearance between the punch and the die is very small, the
plastic deformation takes place in a localized area and the metal adjacent to the cutting edges.
In bending operation the bend has been made with the help of punch which exerts large force
on the work clamped on the die. The bending machine is designed in such a way that, it
works automatically. The machine is designed by observing the factors to improve the
efficiency and to reduce the cycle time by producing quality output. Automation of machine
is achieved with the help of pneumatic system. This paper involves the design of an efficient
system which reduces the human effort and help to increase production output. It also
includes pneumatic system, pneumatic component and shearing die and bending die.

11
Aniruddha Kulkarni, Mangesh Pawar “Sheet Metal Bending Machine.
IJIERT, I SSN: 2394-3696 VOLUME 2, ISSUE 3, March.-2015
In the work of liberalization (more freedom in action) the civil & mechanical sector
has taken much importance in advancement & technology in various fields, and also much
than the core industrial sector. In most developed cities need a lot of man power to split bar in
to small parts. This man power requires various equipment viz. Hammer, chisel, hacksaw etc.
Thus in order to avoid these project benefits in various ways. Use this lightweight tool to cut
steel bars and other materials anywhere. Hydraulic power means minimum operator effort
and a smooth guillotine-action reduces the risk of jamming Double-acting operation Cutting
range 8 to14 mm in stroke. Hydraulic fluids also called hydraulic liquids are the medium by
which power is transferred in hydraulic ma-chinery. The hydraulic fluid also known as tractor
fluid, hydraulic fluid is the life of the hydraulic circuit. It is usually petroleum oil with
various additives. Some hydraulic machines require fire resistant fluids, depending on their
applications. In some factories where food is prepared, either an edible oil or water is used as
working fluid for health and safety reasons. In addition to transferring energy, hydraulic
fluids needs to lubricate components, suspend contaminants and metal filling for transport to
the filter and to function well to several hundred degree Fahrenheit or Celsius.

12
 CHAPTER 3
CONSTRUCTION OF EXPERIMENTAL MODEL

3.1 PROPOSED METHOD

Pneumatic system is used for the automation of machine and to solve industrial labour
problems. Sheet metals have a variety of applications in making car bodies, roofs for buildings,
medical tables etc. Now a day‟s sheet metal is also used in making furniture and cupboard.
Cutting processes are those in which sheet metal is separated by applying enough force to
cause the material to fail. The most common process is shearing process as in this the cutting
processes are performed by applying shearing force. The shear stress in the material will exceed the
ultimate shearing strength when a greater shearing force is applied and the material will fail and
separate at the cut location. This shearing force is applied by two tools, one above and one below the
sheet. These tools can be upper and lower blades or a punch and die. The tool above the sheet delivers
a quick downward blow with certain force to the sheet metal that rests over the lower tool. A very
small clearance is present between the blades i.e. edges of the upper and lower tools, which facilitates
the fracture in the sheet metal. An attempt has been made to review the literature in pneumatic
systems in sheet cutting, based on various criteria. Pneumatic is a branch of engineering that makes
use of pressurized air or gas.

Fig.3.1.schematic representation of proposed methodology

13
3.2 CONSTRUCTION
The most common cutting processes are performed by applying a shear force, and are
therefore sometimes referred to as shearing processes. Cutting processes are those in which a
piece of sheet metal is separated by applying a great enough force to cause the material to fail
.When a great enough shearing force is applied, the shear stress in the material will exceed
the ultimate shear strength and the material will fail and separate at the cut location. This
shearing force is applied by two tools, one above and one below the sheet. Whether these
tools are a punch and die or upper and lower blades, the tool above the sheet delivers a quick
downward blow to the sheet metal that rests over the lower tool. A small clearance is present
between the edges of the upper and lower tools, which facilitates the fracture of the material.
The effects of shearing on the material change as the cut progresses and are visible on the
edge of the sheared material. When the punch or blade impacts the sheet, the clearance
between the tools allows the sheet to plastically deform and “rollover” the edge. As the tool
penetrates the sheet further, the shearing results in a vertical burnished zone of material,
finally, the shear stress is too great and the material fractures at an angle with a small burr
formed at the edge. The height of these portions of the cut depends on several factors,
including the sharpness of the tools and the clearance between the tools.
.
The common components of this pneumatic sheet metal cutting machine are:
 Pneumatic cylinder,
 Pneumatic hand operated valve and
 high speed steel blade,
 Air pipe etc.

3.3 WORKING
The pneumatic machine includes a table with support arms to hold the sheet, stops or
guides to secure the sheet, upper and lower straight - edge blades, a gauging device to
precisely position the sheet. The table also includes the two way directional valve. The two
way directional valve is connected to the compressor. 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 (electricmotor, internal combustion engine). At inlet and outlet ports, valves
allow air toenter and exit the chamber. When the compressor is switched ON, the compressed

14
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.
When the pneumatic hand operated lever is moved forward, the piston starts moving
in the forward direction. The upper blade which are then forced against the sheet, cutting the
material. When the pneumatic hand operated lever is moved backward, the upper blade will
come to the original position (i.e., the upper blade will move upwards). After the material is
cut, adjust the pneumatic hand lever to the mid position (i.e., normal position) and then the
compressor is switched OFF.

Fig.3.2.functioning

3.3.1 Control of Pneumatic Energy

Working energy transmitted pneumatically must be directed and under complete

control at all times. If not under control, useful work will not be done and machinery or
machine operators might be harmed. One of the advantages of transmitting energy
pneumatically is that energy can be controlled relatively easily by using valves.

15
3.3.2 Sheared edge
A variety of cutting processes that utilize shearing forces exist to separate or remove
material from a piece of sheet stock in different ways. Each process is capable of forming a
specific type of cut, some with an open path to separate portion of material and some with a
closed path to cut out and remove that material. By using many of these processes together,
sheet metal parts can be fabricated with cut outs and profiles of any 2D geometry. Such
cutting process includes the following:
 Shearing – Separating material into two parts
 Blanking – Removing material to use for parts
 Conventional blanking
 Fine blanking
 Punching – Removing material as scrap
 Piercing
 Slotting
 Perforating
 Notching
 Nibbling
 Lancing
 Slitting
 Parting
 Cutoff
 Trimming
 Shaving
 Dinking

16
 Fig.3.2.Sheared edge

3.3.3 Shearing
As mentioned above, several cutting processes exist that utilize shearing force to cut
sheet metal. However, the term “shearing” by itself refers to a specific cutting process that
produces straight line cuts to separate a piece of sheet metal. Most commonly, shearing is
used to cut a sheet parallel to an existing edge which is held square, but angled cuts can be
made as well. For this reason, shearing is primarily used to cut sheet stock into smaller sizes
in preparation for other processes. Shearing has the following capabilities
Sheet thickness: 0.005 – 0.25 inches
Tolerence: 0.1 inches
The shearing is performed on a shear machine, often called asquaring shear or power
shear, that can be operated manually or by hydraulic, pneumatic, or electric power. A typical
shear machine includes a table with support arms to hold the sheet, stops or guides to secure
the sheet, upper and lower straight - edge blades, a gauging device to precisely position the

17
sheet. The sheet is placed between the upper and the lower blade, which are then forced
together against the sheet, cutting the material. In most devices, the lower blades remain
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. The knife edge and are available in different materials, such as low alloy steel and high
carbon steel.

3.3.4 Pneumatic transmission of energy

The reason for using pneumatics, or any other type of energy transmission on a
machine, is to perform work. The accomplishment of work requires the application of kinetic
energy to a resisting object resulting in the object moving through a distance. In a pneumatic
system, energy is stored in a potential state under the form of compressed air. Working
energy (kinetic energy and pressure) results in a pneumatic system when the compressed air
is allowed to expand. For example, a tank is charged to 100 PSIA with compressed air. When
the valve at the tank outlet is opened, the air inside the tank expands until the pressure inside
the tank equals the atmospheric pressure. Air expansion takes the form of airflow.
To perform any applicable amount of work then, a device is needed which can supply
an air tank with a sufficient amount of air at a desired pressure. This device is positive
displacement compressor.

What a Positive Displacement Compressor Consists of

A positive displacement compressor basically consists of a movable member inside a
housing. 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 (electric motor, internal combustion
engine). At inlet and outlet ports, valves allow air to enter and exit the chamber.

How a Positive Displacement Compressor Works:

As the crankshaft pulls the piston down, an increasing volume is formed within the
housing. This action causes the trapped air in the piston bore to expand, reducing its pressure.
When pressure differential becomes high enough, the inlet valve opens, allowing atmospheric
air to flow in. With the piston at the bottom of its stroke, inlet valve closes. The piston starts
its upward movement to reduce the air volume which consequently increases its pressure and
temperature. When pressure differential between the compressor chamber and discharge line

18
is high enough, the discharge valve opens, allowing air to pass into an air receiver tank for
storage.

3.3.5 Control of Pneumatic Energy

Working energy transmitted pneumatically must be directed and under complete
control at all times. If not under control, useful work will not be done and machinery or
machine operators might be harmed. One of the advantages of transmitting energy
pneumatically is that energy can be controlled relatively easily by using valves.

3.3.6 Control of Pressure

Pressure in a pneumatic system must be controlled at two points - after the
compressor and after the air receiver tank. Control of pressure is required after the
compressor as a safety for the system. Control of pressure after an air receiver tank is
necessary so that an actuator receives a steady pressure source without wasting energy.

3.3.7 Control of Pressure after compression

In a pneumatic system, energy delivered by a compressor is not generally used
immediately, but is stored as potential energy in air receiver tank in the form of compressed
air. In most instances, a compressor is designed into a system so that it operates
intermittently. A compressor is a device that usually delivers compressed air to a receiver
tank until high pressure is reached, then it is shut down. When air pressure in the tank
decreases, the compressor cuts in and recharges the tank. Intermittent compressor operation
in this manner is a power saving benefit for the system. A common way of sensing tank
pressure and controlling actuation and de-actuation of relatively small (2-15 HP) compressors
is with a pressure switch.

3.4 DATA ANALYSIS

3.4.1 Cylinder thrust:

Cylinder thrust for double acting in forward stroke then Cylinder thrust for double
acting in return stroke – 𝐹 = (𝜋 /4) × (𝐷 – 𝑑) 2 × 𝑃 ,

19
Where,
D = Diameter of bore in mm.
P = Pressure in bar. (1 bar = 0.1N/mm2)
d = Piston rod diameter in mm

3.4.2 Theoretical air consumption-

𝐶 = {(π /4) × 𝐷2 × (P + 1) × L}/1000

where,
P= pressure in bar
D= Diameter of bore in cm
L= Length of stroke in cm.

3.4.3 Sheet metal cutting force-

Cutting force = 𝐿 × 𝑆 × 𝑇𝑚𝑎𝑥

Stripping force =10% -20% of cutting force
L = Length of periphery to be cut in mm
S = Sheet thickness in mm
𝑇𝑚𝑎𝑥 = Shear strength in N/mm2
𝑇𝑚𝑎𝑥 = 80% of tensile strength.

20
 CHAPTER 4
HARDWARE IMPLEMENTATION

4.1. PNEUMATIC CYLINDERS

Pneumatic cylinders (sometimes known as air cylinders) are mechanical devices
which use the power of compressed gas to produce a force in a reciprocating linear motion.
Like hydraulic cylinders, pneumatic cylinders use the stored potential energy of a
fluid, in this case compressed air, and convert it into kinetic energy as the air expands in an
attempt to reach atmospheric pressure. This air expansion forces a piston to move in the
desired direction. The piston is a disc or cylinder, and the piston rod transfers the force it
develops to the object to be moved. Engineers prefer to use pneumatics sometime because
they are quieter, cleaner, and do not require large amounts or space for fluid storage.
Because the operating fluid is a gas, leakage from a pneumatic cylinder will not drip
out and contaminate the surroundings, making pneumatics more desirable where cleanliness
is a requirement. For example, in the mechanical puppets of the Disney Tiki Room,
pneumatics are used to prevent fluid from dripping onto people below the puppet.

Fig.4.1.Pneumatic Cylinder

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4.2 2/2 DIRECTIONAL CONTROL VALVE
The structure of a 2/2 directional control valve is very simple. It uses the thrust from
the spring to open and close the valve, stopping compressed air from flowing towards
working tube „A‟ from air inlet „P‟. When a force is applied to the control axis, the valve will
be pushed open, connecting „P‟ with „A‟ as shown in Fig.7. The force applied to the control
axis has to overcome both air pressure and the repulsive force of the spring. The control valve
can be driven manually or mechanically, and restored to its original position by the spring.

Fig.4.2.2/2Directional control valve

4.3 3/2 DIRECTIONAL CONTROL VALVE

3/2 directional control valve can be used to control a s-ingle acting cylinder (Fig. 8).
The open valves in the middle will close until „P‟ and „A‟ are connected together. Then
another valve will open the sealed base between „A‟ and „R‟ (exhaust) as shown in Fig 8.The
valves can be driven manually mechanically, electrically or pneumatically. 3/2 directional
control valves can further be divided into two classes: Normally open type (N.O.) and
normally closed type.

Fig.4.3.3/2Directional control valve

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4.4 5/2 DIRECTIONAL CONTROL VALVE
When a pressure pulse is input into the pressure control port „P‟, the spool will move
to the left, connecting inlet „P‟ and work passage „B‟. Work passage „A‟ will then make
release of air through „R1‟ and „R2‟as shown in Fig 9. The directional valves will remain in
this operational position until signals of the contrary are received. Therefore, this type of
directional control valves is said to have the function of „memory. On the other hand there
exists many important components like: High speed steel blade, Special Air pipe, Stainless
Steel and most important Air compressor

Fig.4.4.5/2Directional control valve

4.5 HIGH SPEED STEEL BLADE

A blade is used to cut the sheet metal in a desired dimension. Here we are using
high speed steel blades to cut the sheet metal.

4.6 STAINLESS STEEL

The three most common stainless steel grades available in sheet metal are
304, 316, and 410.
 Grade 304 is the most common of the three grades. It offers good
corrosion resistance while maintaining formability and weldability.
Available finishes are #2B, #3, and #4. Note that grade 303 is not
available in sheet form.

23
 Grade 316 offers more corrosion resistance and strength at elevated
temperatures than 304. It is commonly used for pumps, valves, chemical
equipment, and marine applications. Available finishes are #2B, #3, and
#4.
 Grade 410 is a heat treatable stainless steel, but does not offer as good
corrosion resistance. It is commonly used in cutlery. The only available
finish is dull.

24
 CHAPTER 5
ADVANTAGES AND FUNCTIONALITIES

5.1 USAGE OF SHEET METALS

 Car bodies
 Airplane wings
 Medical tables
 Roofs for buildings (Architectural) and many other things
 Sheet metal of iron and other materials with high magnetic permeability,
also known as laminated steel cores, has applications in transformers and
electric machines.
 Historically, an important use of sheet metal was in plate armor worn by
cavalry, and sheet metal continues to have many decorative uses,
including in horse tack.

5.2 ADVANTAGES OF PROPOSED WORK

 Low cost
 Less consumption of time
 Easy to handle
 Skilled labor is not required
 Less maintenance
 High accuracy
 Good surface finish
 Less floor space

5.3 LIMITATIONS
To actuate the piston and the cylinder, the oil is allowed to enter the cylinder from
front or the back side of the piston. But the oil is compositely costlier and its leakage may
cause so many problems.

25
 CHAPTER 6
CONCLUSION AND FUTURE SCOPE

Pneumatic systems are used in controlling train doors, automatic production lines,
and Mechanical clamps. The sheet metal cutting process is a main part of the all industries.
Normally the sheet metal cutting machine is manually hand operated one for medium and
small scale industries. The sheet metal cutting machine works with the help of pneumatic
double acting cylinder. The piston is connected to the moving cutting tool. Sheet metal
cutting machine can be used to cut the sheet metal of minimum thickness without manual
hard work. This machine can also be installed in the lab for the experiment and demonstration
to engineering students. In this project I have tried my best to fabricate a pneumatic sheet
metal cutting machine which can cut the sheet metal in small pieces.

Pneumatic Sheet metal cutting machine is very cheap as compared to hydraulic

cutting machine or laser cutting machine. The range of the cutting thickness can be increased
by arranging a high pressure compressor and installing more hardened blades. This machine
is advantageous to small sheet metal cutting industries as they cannot afford the expensive
machine. Pneumatic sheet metal cutting machine can be used in various industries or
workshops.

FUTURE SCOPE
The above conclusions set a new platform for further researches in common cutting
edge concept as shows its effectiveness in utilizing sheet material and reducing the length of
cutting path. Although this particular work is evaluated for the rectangular parts, it can be
enhanced for the nesting of irregular geometrical shapes. Further by considering appropriate
process parameters, this common cutting edge concept can be applied to other two
dimensional cutting processes such as blanking and plasma cutting. The cutting of the parts
with the common edge having different profiles can also be studied.

26
 CHAPTER 7
COST ESTIMATION

S.NO COMPONENTS COST IN RUPEES

1 Sheet Cutter 1700.00
2 Pneumatic Cylinder 1200.00
3 Sheet Metal Angle Frame 600.00
4 Pneumatic Valve + Hose Nipple Connector 1000.00
Total 4500.00

27
 CHAPTER 8
REFERENCES

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