TL;DR
Ragged or burred cuts nearly always mean the blade gap is wrong for the material thickness. Set the gap to approximately 5 to 7 percent of material thickness and re-check blade parallelism.
What you might see
- burred or ragged cut edge on plate
- material twisting during shear stroke
- blade chipping on one end
- excessive cutting noise
Likely causes
Blade gap set too wide for material thickness producing a ragged fracture zone
Blade gap set too tight causing blade contact and chipping
Blade rake angle incorrect for the material type being cut
Blade mounting bolts loose allowing the blade to shift under load
Required tools
- Feeler gauge set
- Torque wrench
- Blade gap adjustment tool (Cincinnati OEM eccentric wrench or equivalent)
- Safety blocks for the shear beam
- LOTO kit
Safety first
- Never place any body part in the blade gap zone unless the beam is fully supported by safety blocks and the machine is locked out.
- The upper blade is extremely sharp. Use cut-resistant gloves when handling removed blades.
- Flying metal chips are a hazard during test cuts. Wear face shield and safety glasses.
Procedure
- 1
Power off the shear and lock out the main electrical disconnect.
Warning: The shear beam carries enormous stored energy from the flywheel. Confirm the beam is resting on the lower blade or safety blocks before reaching into the blade zone. - 2
Insert blade gap feeler gauges at three points across the blade length: left, center, and right. Record each reading.[1]
- 3
Calculate the target gap as 5 to 7 percent of the material thickness you are cutting. For 6 mm plate, gap should be 0.30 to 0.42 mm.
- 4
Adjust the eccentric gap adjustment mechanism per the Cincinnati shear service manual to bring all three points within specification.[1]
- 5
Verify blade rake angle on the upper blade. Rake angle is set at the factory; confirm it has not changed by checking the stop bolts.
- 6
Check that all blade mounting bolts are torqued to the value stamped on the blade holder or listed in the service manual.
- 7
Make a test cut on scrap material and inspect the edge for burr, twist, and rollover. Adjust gap up or down as needed until the edge is clean.
Sources
Cincinnati Cincinnati CL Series Shear / Guillotine general technical documentation, Cincinnati
Cincinnati shear / guillotine operator and service manual, blade gap and angle setting procedure (general)
More guides for Cincinnati Cincinnati CL Series
How to rotate or replace worn blades on a Cincinnati CL Series shear
Shear blades have four usable cutting edges. When cut quality degrades and gap adjustment no longer helps, rotate the blade to expose a fresh edge before ordering a replacement.
How to fix hold-down clamps not clamping on a Cincinnati CL Series shear
If the hold-down does not clamp, check for a faulty hold-down pressure solenoid, low hydraulic pressure, or worn pad contact surface. Verify solenoid valve function before adjusting pressure.
Stop fixing the same fault twice.
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