Hydraulic presses for production and forming
Hydraulic presses belong to the forming machines. They bring metal into shape with pressure instead of removing chips. Unlike mechanical designs, the full press force is available across the whole stroke. Stroke and final pressure are freely adjustable, so the machine stays flexible when the parts change and works reliably in a series when they do not. KNUTH supplies hydraulic presses for production, manufacturing and special applications in two frame designs.
Press designs: C-frame and portal presses
The frame design decides accessibility, stiffness and force range:
- C-frame presses: open on three sides. Workpieces load from the side, awkward parts included. The design suits jobs with frequent part changes and good accessibility.
- Portal presses in a four-column frame: a closed frame, often called the H-type. It absorbs higher forces, deflects less under load and guides the ram precisely. That pays off on demanding forming and joining work.
Press force, stroke and throat width of the machines currently available are shown in the product cards above.
How a hydraulic press works
A hydraulic press works on Pascal's principle. A pump builds pressure in a hydraulic fluid, the pressure acts evenly on the ram in the hydraulic cylinder and is turned into a high press force. Because the pressure in the system stays constant, the force is present across the whole stroke, not only at the bottom reversal point. A pressure gauge shows the applied pressure, adjustable end stops keep the results the same across a series, and safety devices protect the operator and the tooling. This design makes the hydraulic press slower than a mechanical one, but stronger and easier to meter finely.
Applications and industries
With the right tooling a hydraulic press takes on a wide range of work:
- Pressing in and out bearings, bushings, rubber mounts and pins
- Coining and punching with matching press tooling made up of punch and die
- Deep drawing and forming sheet and metal parts
- Straightening distorted shafts, axles and sections
- Joining and assembly with a constant press force across the series
Typical fields are machine building, metalworking, the automotive and supplier industry as well as series and special-part production. For sheet in plate format a press brake is the right machine.
Control and automation
KNUTH hydraulic presses work automatically and are PLC-controlled, among others with a Siemens control. The operating panel sets the sequence, force and position and recalls them repeatably. That takes strain off the operator, shortens the cycle time on recurring jobs and keeps the results the same across the series. For work on one repeating part, the automatic sequence is the decisive advantage over hand-operated presses.
Hydraulic presses for special applications
Not every job fits a standard machine. For different forces, sizes, tooling or sequences we work out the right configuration with you. Describe your part, your process and the required quantity, and our specialists recommend the design, size and equipment. That way we also cover industrial production and special applications that a standard press cannot handle.
Selection criteria: what matters when choosing
Three figures lead to the right machine. The press force has to match the heaviest job, not the most frequent one. The stroke sets how far the ram travels and how tall the workpiece may be. The throat width limits what fits between the uprights. Added to that are the frame design, the required repeat accuracy and the equipment with tooling and safety devices. Every machine is quality-tested with documentation and delivered CE compliant, with the declaration of conformity supplied with the delivery.
Accessories and press tooling
Accessories turn the press into a universal machine. Common items are:
- Press mandrels in graded diameters for bushings, bearings and pins
- Pressure and support plates that spread the force across sensitive parts
- Press tooling made up of punch and die for coining and punching
- V-blocks and prisms to support round workpieces during straightening
Which accessories you need depends on your parts. We go through that with you during the selection. The complete range is in machine accessories.
Why KNUTH
KNUTH is an established supplier of machine tools with a coordinated press range. The machines are quality-tested in Germany and delivered CE compliant. You get personal advice instead of a catalogue list, plus matching accessories from a single source. Around a thousand machines are held at our European warehouse in Germany. Alongside the hydraulic presses, KNUTH also supplies workshop presses for maintenance and assembly; the presses category gives an overview of both designs.
Service, spare parts and availability
Service runs through our own network of service technicians. Commissioning and operator instruction are offered as a separate service. For spare parts a supply guarantee of ten years applies. Press mandrels, V-blocks and further equipment are listed under machine accessories. The detail sits on start-up services and repairs and spare parts. For help sizing your hydraulic press, reach us through the contact form.
Further Machine Categories at a Glance
Here is an overview of our machine range. Select a category to learn more about individual machines and their technical data.
