Before you start cutting or shaping metal sheets, you need to choose the right tool for the job. While shearing tools work well on some projects, nibblers are sometimes a better fit.

Nibbler tools basically make cuts by using a die and punch technique to stamp out parts of the sheet. They basically eat up parts of the metal around the lines you want to cut and spit the pieces out. What are the advantages of using a nibbler on your steel fabrication job?

Get Clean Cuts

Some metal cutting tools don't create completely clean cuts. They sometimes leave traces on the metal if they use a thermal heating process. Or, the edges or shapes they create might need additional work to deal with thermal or blade distortions.

Nibblers don't need heat to work. So, the sheets they work on won't suffer from any heat damage.

Also, the cuts they do make are typically free from distortion or damage. Nibblers work at high speed and eat away exact amounts of metal according to their punch size.

So, your results will be clean and consistent. You can also see your working area at all times. The tool spits cut-out pieces downwards and away from the metal.

Get More Cutting Flexibility

Some metal cutting tools and machines aren't able to make versatile cuts. They might be great at cutting in a straight line, and some might be able to handle large curves; however, they might not be able to easily manage small or unusual shapes.

Also, some tools can only really make effective cuts from the edge of a sheet. For example, you might not be able to use shears to cut a precise or intricate shape in the middle of a piece.

Nibblers are more versatile. You can use different sizes of punches to change the size of the cut you make.

It's also a lot easier to move these tools around to create unusual shapes and designs. If you punch a hole in the middle of a sheet, then the nibbler can then work in that area too. 

Nibblers can also work on a range of metals that might give problems to standard shears or cutting tools. For example, some shears will struggle to cut corrugated metals without affecting the ridges on the sheet. Nibblers are better able to work on uneven and even ridged surfaces.

To learn more about nibblers and their benefits, contact a steel fabrication service.

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