Hold-Down Clamps

Hold-down clamps are mechanical or pneumatic devices that secure the sheet flat against the shear table during cutting, preventing movement that would ruin cut squareness and accuracy. When a sheet moves during cutting, the blade hits the material at an angle rather than straight-on, resulting in skewed cuts and poor squareness.

Proper clamp pressure also protects the blade from side loading and excessive stress, extending blade life and reducing unplanned maintenance. On automated CNC shears, the clamping system must release quickly after each cut to allow the stripping fingers to remove the blank efficiently, so the coordination between clamping and part removal is carefully timed.

Worn or damaged clamping hardware is one of the most common causes of poor cut quality, and regular inspection and replacement of clamp pads and hydraulic lines is essential to maintaining CNC shearing performance.