Sheet Metal Guillotines & Metal Shears for Industrial Cutting
Sheet metal guillotines (also known as metal shears) are essential machines for cutting sheet metal and steel with speed, accuracy, and consistency. Widely used in metal fabrication, manufacturing, HVAC, roofing, and engineering workshops, guillotines produce clean, straight cuts by driving a precision upper blade against a fixed lower blade. This controlled cutting action reduces material waste, improves accuracy, and increases productivity in both low-volume workshops and high-output production environments.
At Power Machinery, we supply a proven range of industrial sheet metal guillotines designed for Australian conditions and demanding workshop use. Our selection includes hydraulic and CNC metal guillotines from Ermaksan, Cidan and Fintek — globally respected manufacturers known for precision engineering, long service life, and reliable cutting performance. Our team provides expert advice to help you choose the right guillotine based on material thickness, cutting length, and production requirements.
- Trusted Australian supplier of industrial sheet metal machinery for over 50 years
- Hydraulic & CNC guillotines from Ermaksan, Cidan & Fintek
- Expert advice to match machine capacity to your workload
- Reliable local support, parts, and technical knowledge
- Ideal for manufacturing, defence, fabrication, aviation, engineering and construction industries
Whether you need a hydraulic guillotine for heavy-duty cutting or a CNC guillotine for high-volume precision work, our team can help you select the right solution.
How do Sheet metal Guillotines work?
A sheet metal guillotine is a high-force shearing machine designed to cut through metal sheets with precision. The fundamental operation involves a linear downward shearing action, where a high-tensile steel blade moves against a fixed lower blade, exerting immense force to achieve a clean cut. Modern guillotines are powered by hydraulic or brake-drive electric systems, ensuring consistent force distribution and enhanced control over cutting parameters. The shear angle and blade gap play a crucial role in optimising cut quality, reducing burr formation, and minimising material distortion (twisting).
Key Components of a metal guillotine cutter
- Cutting Blade Assembly – Includes hardened tool steel blades capable of withstanding high loads and repeated cycles.
- Hydraulic or Mechanical Actuation – Hydraulic systems ensure smooth and controlled cutting action, while modern mechanical guillotines rely on brake drive motors and eccentric.
- Sheet Clamping System – Spring loaded or hydraulic clamps secure the sheet before cutting, preventing movement and ensuring accuracy.
- Backgauge System – Lead screw, or preferably ball screw or CNC-controlled backgauges enable exact material positioning, crucial for repeatability and production efficiency.
- Sheet Supports – These can be mecahnical or pneumatics and are an important option to keep the material flat and level for accurate measurement.
- Blade Clearance Adjustment – The clearance between the upper and lower blades must be fine-tuned based on material thickness and type. This can be done manually or by the CNC.
Key Features of our Sheet Metal Guillotines
- Precision Cutting Performance – Precision-engineered blades and advanced control systems deliver clean, burr-free, and highly accurate cuts, reducing material waste and rework.
- Heavy-Duty, Industrial Construction – Robust, heavy-duty construction ensures long service life, structural stability, and reliable performance in demanding workshop and production environments.
- Flexible Configuration & Capacity Options – Available in a range of configurations to suit different sheet metal thicknesses, cutting lengths, and materials, with modular designs that integrate easily into existing workflows.
- User-Friendly Operation & Productivity Gains – Intuitive interfaces and efficient machine design enable faster setup, repeatable cutting, and improved productivity, supporting quicker job turnaround times.
- Advanced Safety & Compliance Features – Built-in safety systems protect operators and support compliance with relevant industry standards, helping create a safer working environment.
- Energy-Efficient Operation & Ongoing Support – Energy-efficient systems help reduce operating costs, while comprehensive local support and service options minimise downtime and maximise uptime.
Ermaksan Metal Guillotines
Ermaksan is a leading name in metalworking machinery. Their guillotines are built for accuracy, strength, and ease of use. Each machine is designed to handle demanding cutting tasks while keeping operation simple and efficient.
These guillotines are ideal for businesses that want consistent performance, low maintenance, and reliable results across a wide range of materials.
ermaksan Guillotine Highlights
- Hydraulic System – provides smooth, controlled shearing forces with minimal impact stress.
- Variable Rake Adjustment – reduces material distortion and optimises blade life.
- CNC-Integrated Backgauge – achieves ±0.05mm precision with automatic positioning.
- Heavy-Duty Frame Design – prevents vibration and increases machine longevity.
- Proven global reputation in serious fabrication, widely used in large fabrication plants, engineering workshops and industrial manufacturers.
- Advanced safety features to ensure operator well-being and compliance with industry standards.
Standard hydraulic guillotine with a fixed rake angle. Ideal for medium-duty applications.
Variable-rake, CNC-controlled guillotine shear offering maximum precision. Ideal for aerospace, automotive and heavy fabrication.
Advanced, high-speed hydraulic guillotine with programmable blade gap control. Ideal for heavy-duty industrial use.
Cidan Metal Guillotines
Cidan is another trusted brand in metal fabrication. Their guillotines are designed for speed, precision, and energy efficiency. These machines fit well into both small workshops and large production lines.
Cidan metal shears are chosen by many Australian businesses for their reliability, low running costs, and smooth cutting performance.
Cidan Guillotine Highlights
- Electromechanical Drive System – consistent force distribution for thin-gauge metal cutting, with high-speed cutting up to 35 strokes per minute at full length
- Smart Shearing Angle Control – reduces cutting force and improves edge quality
- Touchscreen HMI Interface – simplifies operation and reduces training time
- Precision-engineered blades for clean, burr-free cuts
- Precision-engineered blades for clean, burr-free cuts
Optimised for fast cutting cycles in light fabrication
CNC-controlled shears designed for automated workflows
Fintek Metal Guillotines
Fintek Guillotines have earned a reputation for producing robust, long-lasting folders and metal shears trusted across the sheet metal and steel fabrication industries.
Designed for precision and reliability, Fintek machines streamline cutting and folding to help businesses work faster while achieving consistently high-quality finishes. The result is reduced material waste, improved accuracy, and greater productivity on the workshop floor or on site.
Fintek Guillotine Highlights
- Rigid Welded Steel Frame – excellent stability, reduced vibration, and long machine life
- Precision Ground Blades – ensures clean, burr-minimised cuts across a wide range of materials
- Manual or CNC Backgauge Options – supports accurate repeat cuts with simple, reliable positioning
- Robust, no-nonsense industrial design focused on reliability and durability
- Faster job turnaround and improved productivity
Mechanical guillotine for light to medium-duty cutting. A cost-effective, reliable option for thin-to medium gauge materials with straightforward operation and low running costs.
Hydraulic guillotine for medium-to-heavy-duty industrial use, with increased cutting capacity,
smoother operation and improved control for thicker materials.
Hydraulic Guillotines
Power Machinery stocks five hydraulic guillotines across Fintek and Ermaksan, covering everything from light-gauge sheet metal to heavy plate:
- Fintek P Series Hydraulic Guillotine – light-to-medium duty, cutting 1.2-3.5mm mild steel across 1320-3100mm lengths. A straightforward, cost-effective entry point.
- Fintek H Series Hydraulic Guillotine – medium-duty, cutting 3.5-6.5mm mild steel (2.2-4.5mm stainless) with rake angle adjustment and independent hydraulic hold-down, across 1320-3100mm lengths.
- Ermaksan CNC HGS Metal Guillotine Shear – a CNC-controlled swing beam shear for sheet and plate up to 4.0m x 8.0mm, with automatic blade gap, length and backgauge positioning.
- Ermaksan CNC HGD Hydraulic Guillotine – heavy-duty, built for 6-20mm sheet across 3000-4000mm lengths, with a monoblock steel frame and automatic blade gap adjustment.
- Ermaksan CNC HVR Metal Shear Guillotine – our heaviest-capacity option, a variable-rake CNC shear cutting 6-40mm across 3000-6000mm lengths, suited to aerospace, automotive and heavy structural fabrication.
Not sure which capacity fits your material and production volume? Talk to an Expert
Choosing the Right Metal Guillotine for your Operations
- Material Thickness Capacity – Match blade and hydraulic power to your material specifications.
- Cut Length & Blade Width – Longer blades improve efficiency but require more workspace.
- Control System (Manual vs. CNC) – CNC models enhance precision but require higher investment.
- Blade Material & Edge Durability – Tungsten-carbide coated blades extend service life.
- Clamping & Support Mechanism – Ensures stable and consistent cutting operations.
FAQs
The cutting capacity of a sheet metal guillotine depends on the machine type, blade length, and material being cut. Entry-level manual guillotines typically cut thinner sheet metal, while industrial hydraulic and CNC sheet metal guillotines can cut several millimetres of mild steel across wide working lengths. Heavy-duty models are designed to handle thicker materials consistently while maintaining clean, accurate cuts.
A hydraulic sheet metal guillotine uses hydraulic pressure to deliver smooth, powerful cutting and is ideal for workshops needing strength and reliability. A CNC sheet metal guillotine adds programmable controls, automated backgauges, and repeatable accuracy, making it better suited to high-volume production where precision and efficiency are critical. CNC guillotines reduce setup time and operator error while improving consistency.
The price of a sheet metal guillotine in Australia varies based on size, cutting capacity, and whether the machine is manual, hydraulic, or CNC-controlled. Smaller workshop models are more affordable, while large industrial CNC guillotines represent a higher investment due to their automation, accuracy, and productivity benefits. Choosing the right machine depends on workload, material thickness, and long-term production needs.
Sheet metal guillotines are widely used across industries that require accurate, repeatable metal cutting. Common applications include metal fabrication, manufacturing, HVAC, roofing, automotive, engineering, and construction. Their ability to produce clean, straight cuts quickly makes them a core machine in many workshops and production facilities.
See the checklist above - material thickness, cut length, control system, blade durability and clamping are the five factors that matter most. Workshops with frequent repeat cuts often benefit from CNC models, while lower-volume operations may prefer hydraulic or manual machines.