Design and Fabrication of a Low-Cost Air-Powered Sheet Cutting Machine for Small and Medium-Scale Industries

Sheet metal cutting is a critical process in fabrication industries including automotive, manufacturing, and construction. Conventional cutting methods such as manual shearing and hand tools are labor-intensive, time-consuming, and pose safety risks to operators. To overcome these limitations, an Air Powered Sheet Cutter was designed and developed using a pneumatic double-acting cylinder actuated by compressed air. The prototype integrates an air compressor, control valve, receiver tank, and cutting blade mounted on a mild-steel support frame. The proposed design enhances cutting accuracy, minimizes operator effort, and improves productivity. Experimental evaluation demonstrated that the system can smoothly cut mild steel sheets up to 2 mm thickness with high repeatability and reduced cycle time compared to manual cutting. The pneumatic setup also ensures low operational cost, simple maintenance, and continuous working capability. This study confirms that pneumatic actuation is suitable for small and medium-scale industries where cost-effective and safe cutting solutions are required.