A press machine, also known as a forming press, is a heavy industrial tool that uses pressure to adjust the size of workpieces like steel or aluminum. These machines are crucial in the sheet metal manufacturing industry for bending and pressing sheet metal after design.
The press machine consists of a frame and base, equipped with punches and dies on the ram and workbench. The pressure applied to the metal plate is driven by a power device.
Well, in this reading, we’ll explore what a machine press is, its applications, parts, diagrams, Types, and how it works. We’ll also explore its advantages and disadvantages.
Let’s get started!
What is Machine Press?
Press machines are essential tools in the manufacturing industry for deforming and shaping workpieces like steel, aluminum, and other materials. These heavy industrial machines are also known as mechanical presses and they play a big role in the sheet metal manufacturing industry.
Different types operate through different dynamic mechanisms, and their design structures may include C-frame presses and screw presses. Press manufacturing processes include die cutting, forging, and stamping.
Press machines come in various types, such as hydraulic, pneumatic, and mechanical, and are differentiated based on their power system, capacity, and other factors.
Shop Press
A shop press typically comprises a rectangular frame and a hydraulic cylinder that applies pressure through a ram to a workpiece. This press is known as a shop press as it is often used for general-purpose forming work.
It’s greatly used in machine shops, auto mechanic shops, garage or basement shops, etc. The shop press is capable of applying pressure of about 1 to 30 tons, depending on size and construction.
Finally, a shop press is commonly used to press interference fit parts together. Parts like gears into shafts or bearing into housings.
Applications
Manual presses are used for laboratory sample preparation, small-scale production, and repair work, and are suitable for metal stamping, marking, riveting, forming, and bending operations.
Hydraulic presses are used in metal forming, forging, stamping, punching, mould manufacturing, deep drawing, die casting, and other sheet metal processes. Mechanical presses are suitable for metal stamping, forming, and extrusion operations, suitable for mass production.
Pneumatic presses are used for bending, stamping, forming, and cutting metal sheets. Also, punching presses are used in automotive, aerospace, electronics, and construction industries for manufacturing automotive parts, electronic device enclosures, building metal structures, metal frames, and brackets.
Stamping presses are used in automotive manufacturing, electronics, household appliances, construction, and aerospace industries. They are used for producing automotive body parts, electronic device case, household appliance components, and for building metal structures.
In addition, Presses are machines used for various mechanical purposes, including bending sheet metal, punching holes, stamping for shaping and cutting metal with a die, capping press for forming caps from aluminum foil rolls, and screw press which is also known as a fly press.
When high accuracy is required on a bending parts, press brakes with modern CNC controls are used. Also a punch press is designed for stamping, holes forming, and capping.
Related: What is Hydraulic Press? its Diagram and How it Works
Parts & Diagram
The major parts of the machine press include a vertical column, c-frame, anvil, ram, table, and die press.
Types of Machine Press
The various types of machine press include manual press, hydraulic press, mechanical press, pneumatic press, punching press,
Manual Machine Press
In manual press, the operator delivers pressure to the machine to operate a manual press machine using the handle. After handle rotation, the ram up and down, exerting force through the lever to move the punch in a straight line.
The entire machine is made up of a C-frame, punch, die, handle, and guide rail. The better the metal plate feeding, the bigger the C-shaped frame’s opening.
It has a separate hydraulic system that has low operating costs and a small capacity. The manual press machine is only appropriate for light and one-time use because it is incredibly slow.
Hydraulic Machine Press
In hydraulic types of pressing machine, the ram is pressed through a series of hydraulic system parts. The oil is usually located on top of the beam and the speed of the ram is determined by the circuit flow and oil quantity of the hydraulic system.
Hydraulic press is widely used today for metal punching, forming, stamping, mould manufacturing, deep drawing, die casting, other sheet metal operations. They are also used for crushing condemn cars, cocoa powder, and in sword making.
In addition, hydraulic press are mostly used in automotive parts manufacturing, and the aerospace industry.
These kinds of presses works based on pascal’s law that states that the pressure applied to a confined fluid is transmitted equally in all directions.
The hydraulic press have two piston of different sizes and works with oil fluid which is pressurized in the smaller piston. It then transmits it through pipes to the larger piston to generate a greater force.
Mechanical Press
In mechanical press, mechanical energy is used to shape sheet metals in to various shapes. It works with a motor to exert more than enough power to the ram.
Mechanical press uses an electric motor to drive a flywheel that stores kinetic energy, which then transferred to the clutch and crank mechanism. This help to convert the rotational motion into linear motion to drive the ram and apply pressure to the workpiece.
These types of machine press have faster operation speed when compared with hydraulic press and are mostly used for stamping due to their suitability.
Machine press are known by their rapid and repeated application of pressure within a limited stroke. The stroke are unstable because the force is applied at different speed, which is why it is not suitable for complex workpiece.
Pneumatic Press
These pressing machines are powered by compressed gas which is why it fast and can carry out multiple cycles rapidly. The compressed gas compressed and expanded to increase the the pressure in the cylinder.
The pressure does not require adjustment and the pressure is consistent throughout the strokes. Pneumatic press maximum force can be determined by the cylinder aperture, and the regulated working pressure.
In the working of pneumatic press, the machine must maintain the operating pressure so that the stroke of the press will not be intermittent. This is because it will not be conducive for the process monitoring.
Check valves are used in these types of machine press to prevent air supply failure. Also, shaft locking devices are required to ensure stroke accuracy and operator’s safety.
Pneumatic presses are often used in automotive production, metalworking, and electronics manufacturing industries.
Punching Press
Punching press work by shearing and deforming materials with the use of force generated by mechanical, pneumatic and hydraulic system. All these systems are source of energy to drive the punch into the workpiece.
They are also known as punch press or punching machine and they are use to create holes or specific shape on sheet metals and other materials. The common parts of a punching press include the frame, bed, punch, die, and power source.
Punching machines are design to carry punch and die of different sizes and shapes. The plate is placed under the punch and the pressure of the machine move the punch downward. C-frame and H-frame are the common types of punching press.
Stamping Press
A stamping press is also used for sheet metal forming process. It contains an interlocking punch and have a work table that secure the plate for cutting or punching into the final shape.
This machine is of large size and can perform complex operations, it also requires a great amount of power for exerting force. Although they might be surface defects in the workpeice produced and the punched holes my not be clean enough but the process worth it.
How Does a Machine Press Works?
The working of a machine press are often detemine by the type of machine. However, most machine press achieve their processes by pressing the plate or die against the workpiece.
They are controlled by tool setter which can be one or more workers that position the workpiece and control the machine press.
The setter positioned the workpiece underneath the machine press’s plate or die, then activates the machine press. In hydraulic press, hydraulic fluid pressure is used to push the plates or die against the surface of the workpiece.
Related: What is Rolling? its Operations & How it Works
Advantages and Disadvantages of Machine Press
Advantages:
- Simple design and easy operation.
- Low maintenance costs.
- Precision control suitable for various operations.
- Ideal for small-scale use.
- Can generate enormous pressure.
- Suitable for high-tonnage operations.
- Simple design with low maintenance costs.
- Low noise levels.
- Built-in overload protection.
- Small footprint.
- Long tool life.
- Versatility, high efficiency, precision, cost-effectiveness, and flexibility.
- High material utilization, high productivity, precision, versatility.
Disadvantages:
- Slow operation speed, suitable for small batch production.
- Requires manual operation, high labor intensity.
- Limited pressure, not suitable for high-tonnage operations.
- Limited pressure, not suitable for high-tonnage operations.
- High energy consumption.
- Unpleasant odors and noise.
- Significant heat generation.
- Material limitations, thickness limitations, and complex tooling requirements.
Safety
Safety is important as machine presses can be hazardous. The CNC version or BI-manual control can be very good and less hazardous as the controls are on buttons to operate. The sensor’s light is also important to be in good condition as it indicates if the operator is in range of the die.