News&Events

Nickel Plate Shearing Machine Buying Guide

Nickel sheet is a metal material with high hardness and strength, and is widely used in aerospace, chemical equipment, and electronics industries. Due to its inherent toughness and corrosion resistance, the equipment used for cutting nickel sheet must meet high performance standards. Therefore, when purchasing a nickel plate shearing machine, we should pay special attention to the following aspects.

1. Why do we need a specialized nickel plate shearing machine?

Many people might wonder: can’t ordinary sheet metal shearing machines cut nickel sheets? The answer is yes, but the results are poor. Nickel is a metal with excellent plasticity, toughness, and high strength. These characteristics impose specific requirements on the cutting equipment:

- High hardness and toughness

Pure nickel and nickel alloys have high hardness and good toughness. The blades and power system of ordinary sheet metal cutting machines may not be able to achieve clean, precise cuts, often resulting in burrs, edge deformation, or even cracks.

- Work hardening tendency

Nickel hardens rapidly during cold working, which poses a significant challenge to the wear resistance of the blades and the overall stability of the machine.

- High precision requirements

Especially in applications such as battery electrodes and precision electronic components, the dimensional accuracy, cut perpendicularity, and surface finish of the nickel sheet are subject to extremely stringent requirements.

Therefore, a specialized nickel sheet shearing machine addresses these issues by enhancing power, optimizing the structure, and using special cutting tools, ensuring high precision, high efficiency, and consistent cutting results.

2. Key Technological Advantages of Nickel Sheet Shear Machines

In industries such as new energy, electroplating, battery manufacturing, and special alloy processing, nickel sheet, as an important metal raw material, requires precise cutting, a critical step in the production process. A high-performance, high-precision nickel plate shearing machine directly determines product quality, material utilization, and production efficiency. A superior nickel sheet cutting machine typically possesses the following core technological features.

Powerful Drive System and Rigid Frame:

The machine frame is made of thick steel plate, welded into a monolithic structure and stress-relieved, ensuring stability and zero deformation even when cutting high-hardness nickel sheets. A high-power hydraulic or mechanical drive system provides continuous and stable cutting force.

Special Alloy Cutting Blades:

This is the core component of the machine. The blades are typically made of high-chromium, high-vanadium special alloy tool steel or cemented carbide, processed with a special heat treatment process, resulting in extremely high hardness (HRC 58-62 or higher), wear resistance, and impact toughness, far exceeding the lifespan of ordinary blades.

Precise Adjustment and Positioning System:

Equipped with a high-precision CNC system or digital display. Features such as motorized rear gauge adjustment and precise positioning enable millimeter- or even micrometer-level accuracy, with extremely high repeatability, perfectly meeting the needs of mass production.

User-Friendly Safety and Operation Design:

Includes photoelectric safety protection devices, two-hand operation buttons, and emergency stop switches, comprehensively protecting operator safety. A simple operation interface and quick die-changing further reduce operating difficulty and downtime.

3. How to Choose the Right Nickel Plate Shear Machine?

Nickel plate is a metal material with high hardness and strength, widely used in aerospace, chemical equipment, and electronics industries. Due to its inherent toughness and corrosion resistance, the equipment used for shearing nickel plate must meet high performance standards.

Therefore, when purchasing a nickel plate shearing machine, the following aspects should be considered:

1) Determine Processing Requirements

– Plate Thickness Range

Common nickel plate thicknesses: 0.5mm–12mm.

For thicker plates (>12mm), a heavy-duty hydraulic shear machine is required.

Selection formula: Tensile strength of nickel plate ≈ 1.2–1.3 times that of ordinary carbon steel; therefore, the machine’s tonnage should be increased accordingly.

– Plate Size

Common widths: 1000mm, 1250mm, 1500mm, 2000mm.

Ensure the shear machine’s effective worktable width ≥ the maximum plate width.

– Processing Volume

Small batches: Choose an affordable mechanical or small hydraulic shear machine.

Large-scale production: Recommend a CNC hydraulic shear machine with automatic feeding for increased efficiency.

2) Machine Type Selection

– Mechanical Shear

Suitable for thin nickel plates ≤ 2mm.

Low price, but limited accuracy and stability.

– Hydraulic Swing Beam Shear

Suitable for nickel plates ≤ 6mm.

Simple structure, moderate price.

Disadvantage: Accuracy may decrease with prolonged use.

– Hydraulic Guillotine Shear (Recommended)

Suitable for nickel plates ≥ 6mm.

High shearing force, high accuracy, and durability.

Can be equipped with a CNC system for angle adjustment and automatic feeding.

3) Key Technical Parameters

Shearing Force: Must be ≥ 2 times the theoretical required shearing force.
Worktable Width: Slightly larger than the maximum plate width.
Blade Material: Recommend Cr12MoV or high-alloy tool steel for wear resistance and strength.
- CNC System: Recommend E21S, ELGO P40, etc., for increased automation.
Backgauge System: Electrically or servo-motor driven for precise dimension control. Safety and Protection Features: Includes features such as light curtain safety guards and emergency stop systems to ensure operator safety.

4) Recommended Auxiliary Equipment

Automatic feeding system: Reduces manual labor and improves efficiency.
Support rollers: Prevents scratches and deformation of the nickel plate surface.
Hydraulic system: Use a reputable international brand to ensure stability.

5) Supplier and After-sales Service

Priority will be given to manufacturers with experience in processing nickel alloys.
Required documentation includes material test reports for the cutting blades and shear force test data.
Does the after-sales service cover blade sharpening, replacement, and hydraulic system maintenance?

6) Example Machine Selection

Nickel sheet thickness ≤ 6mm, width ≤ 2000mm → 6×2000mm hydraulic shearing
Nickel sheet thickness 6–12mm, width ≤ 3200mm → 12×3200mm hydraulic guillotine shearing
Nickel sheet thickness ≥ 12mm, batch processing → CNC hydraulic guillotine shearing machine + automatic feeding system.

4. Summary

When selecting a nickel plate shearing machine, the key factors are:

sheet thickness → shearing force → machine type → blade material → automation features

If you primarily process thick nickel sheets, we recommend directly choosing a hydraulic guillotine shear with CNC control, which ensures both sufficient shearing force and accuracy and efficiency.

Actual Selection Process

Define your requirements:

Nickel sheet thickness range
Maximum sheet width
Annual/daily production capacity and batch size
Cutting accuracy requirements

Compare multiple manufacturers/models:

Provide your requirements to several equipment suppliers and request their technical specifications and quotes for suitable models.

Check key parameters:

Focus on comparing shearing force, frame rigidity, blade material, backgauge accuracy, automation features, brand components, and after-sales service.

Leave some margin:

Nickel alloys can be strong and expensive. It’s advisable to leave some margin for shearing force and automation capabilities to ensure reliable performance.

Conduct site visits/test cuts:

Ask the manufacturer to perform test cuts with your specific nickel sheet to check cutting quality, burr formation, and deformation.

Wuxi Shenchong, a professional manufacturer of high-precision shearing machines, has been specializing in special metal cutting for many years. We offer a complete solution from equipment selection, sample cutting, to after-sales support.

If you have any questions or needs regarding nickel plate cutting, please feel free to contact us for a customized technical solution and quotation.