SHEARING THEORY

SHEARED SURFACES
OF
SHEET METAL
SHEARED SURFACES

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.

The most common cutting processes are performed by applying

a shearing force, and are therefore sometimes referred to as shearing
processes.

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.
SHEARED SURFACES

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 size of this clearance is typically 2-10% of the material

thickness and depends upon several factors, such as the
specific shearing process, material, and sheet thickness. 
SHEARED SURFACES
SHEET METAL
TOLERANCES
 Aluminium sheet metal tolerances[4]
Sheet width
Thickness
[in (mm)] 36 (914.4) 48 (1,219)
[in (mm)] [in (mm)]
0.018–0.028 (0.46–0.71) 0.002 (0.051) 0.0025 (0.064)
0.029–0.036 (0.74–0.91) 0.002 (0.051) 0.0025 (0.064)
0.037–0.045 (0.94–1.14) 0.0025 (0.064) 0.003 (0.076)
0.046–0.068 (1.2–1.7) 0.003 (0.076) 0.004 (0.10)
0.069–0.076 (1.8–1.9) 0.003 (0.076) 0.004 (0.10)
0.077–0.096 (2.0–2.4) 0.0035 (0.089) 0.004 (0.10)
0.097–0.108 (2.5–2.7) 0.004 (0.10) 0.005 (0.13)
0.109–0.125 (2.8–3.2) 0.0045 (0.11) 0.005 (0.13)
0.126–0.140 (3.2–3.6) 0.0045 (0.11) 0.005 (0.13)
0.141–0.172 (3.6–4.4) 0.006 (0.15) 0.008 (0.20)
0.173–0.203 (4.4–5.2) 0.007 (0.18) 0.010 (0.25)
0.204–0.249 (5.2–6.3) 0.009 (0.23) 0.011 (0.28)
 Stainless steel sheet metal tolerances[4]
Sheet width
Thickness
[in (mm)] 36 (914.4) 48 (1,219)
[in (mm)] [in (mm)]

0.017–0.030 (0.43–0.76) 0.0015 (0.038) 0.002 (0.051)

0.031–0.041 (0.79–1.04) 0.002 (0.051) 0.003 (0.076)

0.042–0.059 (1.1–1.5) 0.003 (0.076) 0.004 (0.10)

0.060–0.073 (1.5–1.9) 0.003 (0.076) 0.0045 (0.11)
0.074–0.084 (1.9–2.1) 0.004 (0.10) 0.0055 (0.14)
0.085–0.099 (2.2–2.5) 0.004 (0.10) 0.006 (0.15)

0.100–0.115 (2.5–2.9) 0.005 (0.13) 0.007 (0.18)

0.116–0.131 (2.9–3.3) 0.005 (0.13) 0.0075 (0.19)

0.132–0.146 (3.4–3.7) 0.006 (0.15) 0.009 (0.23)

0.147–0.187 (3.7–4.7) 0.007 (0.18) 0.0105 (0.27

Theory of Shearing
SHEARING THEORY

“Shearing Theory is the method of cutting sheets or strips without

forming chip. The material is stressed in a section which lies

parallel to the forces applied. The forces are applied by means of

shearing blades or punch and die.” 

Sheared Edges:-

It is necessary to understand exactly what occurs when

the sheet material is cut between the cutting edges of
the punch and die.
The top corner is defined by a small radius R.

The size of this radius depends upon the thickness and

hardness of the strip and on the sharpness of the punch and
dies members.

A smooth, straight, burnished band goes around the

periphery of the blank.

The extent of this band, distance D, is approximately 1/3 the

thickness T of the blank when the die is properly sharpened
and when the correct clearance has been applied.
The remaining 2/3 of the edge is called the break-off.

The surface is some what rough and it tapers back slightly.

Extent of the taper, distance is the amount of clearance between

cutting edges.

If burrs are produced in the cutting blanks, they occur on this
break off side of the blank.

Burrs are produced when improper clearance has been applied

and also when the cutting edges become dull.

The other side of the blank which has the radius and smooth, shiny
band is called the burnishing side of the blank.
The location of the burnished side and the burr side of the
blank is very important for performing secondary operations
such as shaving, burnishing and the like.

In addition the burr side position can influence functions or the
appearance of the finished stamping.

In blanking, the burnished band goes completely around the

blank and the break off taper extends completely around the
opposite side.

This is not the case for blanks produced in cut off or progressive
dies.
In such dies, burnished side may alternate from side to side in
a number of positions and careful study is required to determine
that any possible burr will not interfere with the function or
appearance of the stamping.

Shearing of material occurs in a continuous action.

However, to understand the process it will be necessary to

“stop” the action in its various stages and to examine what
occurs.
 Stage 1st
The fig.–1 shows the cutting edges of a die with
cutting clearance C applied. The amount of this
clearance is important as will be shown.
 Stage 2nd
Refer to fig –2. A material strip is introduced between the
cutting edges and is represented by phantom lines.

Cutting a material strip occurs when it is sheared between

cutting edges until the material between the edges has been
compressed beyond its ultimate strength and fracture takes
place.
Stage 3rd
 Stage 3rd
Refer to fig –3. The upper die begins its downward travel and the
cutting edge of the punch penetrates the material by the amount A.

The following stresses occurs:

The material in radii at B is in tension i.e. is stretched.

The material between cutting edges, C is compressed or
squeezed together.

Stretching continues beyond the elastic limits of the material, then

plastic deformation occurs.

The same penetration and stretching is applied to both sides of the

strip.
 Stage 4th
Refer to fig –4.
Continued descent of
the upper cutting
edge causes crack in
the material.

These cleavage
planes occur adjacent
to the corner of each
cutting edge.
 Stage 5th
Refer to fig –5. Continued descent of the upper die causes
cracks to elongate until they meet. Here there is the reason of
importance of cutting clearance. If the cracks fail to meet, a bad
edge will be produced in the blank.
 Stage 6th
Refer to fig –6. Further descent of the upper die causes the blank
to separate from the strip. Separation occurs when the punch is
penetrated approximately 1/3 of the strip.
 Stage 7th
Refer to fig –7.
Continued descent of
the upper die causes the
blank to be pushed into
the die hole where it
clings tightly because of
the compressive
stresses introduced prior
to separation of the
blank from the strip
Stage 8th
 Stage 8th
Refer to fig –8. The punch has now penetrated entirely through
the strip and the blank has been pushed entirely within the die
hole.

Now that the edge of the blank and the edge of the strip have
identical contours except that they are reversed.

The strip will cling around upper punch approximately the

same pressure as the blank clings within the die hole and a
stripper will be required to remove it.
 Alternately

Shearing Action:-

•The resultant forces (compressive/tensile) imposed on the stock

material by the working of blanking or piercing die is a shearing action.

•Considered in 3 stages.

•Related to effective working of tool and tool life

• Important because of it’s direct relationship to the dimensional

qualities and appearance of the part.

Critical stages in shearing

Plastic deformation.
Penetration.
Fracture.
CRITICAL STAGES OF SHEARING

There are three stages of shearing

 Plastic deformation
Penetrationtr fractureur
 Penetration ation e
Plastic
 Fracture deformation
on

Punch Peak load

Sheet

Die Stress
t
PLASTIC DEFORMATION
PLASTIC DEFORMATION

The force applied by the punch on the stock material tends to

deform it into the die opening.

When the elastic limit is exceeded by further application of

force, a portion of the material will be forced into the die opening
in the form of an embossed pad on the lower face of the material.

 Resulting a corresponding depression on its upper face.

This stage imparts a radius on the lower edge of the punched

out material. (which may be blank or slug)

This is called the stage of “Plastic Deformation”.

PENETRATION STAGE
PENETRATION STAGE
 As the load is further increased, the punch will penetrate the
material to a certain depth and force an equally thick portion of
metal into the die.

This stage imparts a bright polished finish(cut band) on both

the strip and the blank or slug.

 On optimum cutting conditions the cut band will be 1/3rd the

sheet thickness.

This is “penetration stage”.

This is the true shearing portion of the cutting cycle,

FRACTURE STAGE
FRACTURE STAGE

As the punch travels further, these fractures will extend

towards each other and eventually meet, causing complete
separation.

This stage imparts a dull fractured edge.

This is the “Fracture Stage”.

In this stage, fracture will starts from both upper and lower
cutting edges. These points of the greatest stress
concentration.