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Shearing, slitting, notching and cutting · Lesson 1 of 4

Shearing, slitting, notching and cutting: principles and terminology

What each cutting process does, the parts of a shear and the settings that matter, how to read a sheared edge, and where the danger is.

You will be able to: Define shearing, slitting, notching and cut-to-length, name the parts of a squaring shear and the zones of a sheared edge, and state the safety boundaries.

11 min · 11 slides · 9 questions

All lessons in this module
Slide 1 of 11

Four ways to cut sheet

Shearing cuts sheet between two blades by pushing the shear stress in the metal past its shear strength.

Slitting cuts coil or strip lengthwise with rotary knives. IspatGuru counts slitting as a shearing process.

Notching removes a piece from an edge or corner so flanges can fold or lap without colliding. Cut-to-length cuts run material into pieces of a set length.

Sources

Videos for this lesson

What this video shows: A dealer demonstration of a Tennsmith foot (kick) squaring shear, with spring hold-down feet and adjustable blades.

Video: Tennsmith Foot Shear In-Use - Trick-Tools.com by Trick-Tools.com, on YouTube. Chosen from the video's published description.

Glossary

Shearing
Cutting sheet between two blades by pushing the shear stress past the metal's shear strength.
Hold-down
The part of a shear that clamps the stock so it cannot move before the blade comes down.
Back gauge
An adjustable stop behind the blades that sets the width of the piece cut.
Blade clearance
The horizontal gap between the upper and lower blades of a shear.
Rake angle
The angle of the moving blade to the fixed blade along its length.
Burr
The sharp lip left at the bottom of a sheared edge.