Manual hydraulic press: uses and advantages of using it.

In recent decades, hydraulic presses have gained prominence in every industrial field, even ahead of mechanical presses, thanks to their versatility and reliability. This type of press, which operates according to Pascal's law and by means of a piston, is an essential piece of machinery used for its ability to generate high force in carrying out high-quality, high-capacity work. In addition, there are several models of hydraulic press, the manual model being one of the most interesting for use in workshops or for working smaller workpieces.

Features of the manual hydraulic press

The main feature of the manual hydraulic press is the very nature of this type of machinery: by applying small forces to fluids, it makes it possible to obtain greater forces to compress, straighten, deform or lift heavy objects.

Likewise, the manual hydraulic press is generally a press of much smaller diameter and weight than motorised ones, which allows great mobility and the working of smaller workpieces with greater precision and a better finish. Although its capacity is considerably lower, ranging from 5 to 30 tonnes, the manual press still allows total control of the pressure exerted by means of an adjusting pump connected to a pressure gauge, and provides uniform, smooth pressing in line with the desired result.

Uses of the manual hydraulic press

Despite this simplicity and relatively lower capacity, the manual hydraulic press is also a fairly complete and versatile tool that can be used in countless applications in various industries:

• Compacting consumables and materials: manual hydraulic presses exert enough pressure to compress all kinds of food products and consumables: from medicines, make-up and cocoa powder to the oil extraction process. They can also compact and press certain metals by hand for later storage (so they take up less space), and paper or cardboard for recycling.
• Manufacture of car parts: although presses capable of withstanding higher tonnage are needed, manual hydraulic presses are also useful in the automotive industry for producing simpler components such as clutches. They are useful in vehicle workshops for the assembly of parts or for lifting vehicles.
• Manufacture of ceramic parts: in less time than firing in a kiln requires, hydraulic presses make it possible to obtain ceramic parts in different shapes: open, flat, embossed, etc.
• Compression and tensile testing: presses help to test the properties of materials used in different industries (construction, manufacturing…) through controlled tests. They thus make it possible to find out the strength of these materials before they deform or break.
• Manufacture of electrical components and household appliances: As with car manufacturing, this machinery is also used in the manufacturing industry to shape, seal and assemble small parts, such as thermostat housings, light switches and appliance parts.
• Other uses to bear in mind: the use of the manual hydraulic press extends to various sectors such as agriculture and carpentry (repair, straightening and compacting of parts and materials), as well as blacksmithing and forging work, stamping or the creation of plastic moulds or dies.

Advantages of using the manual hydraulic press

Both the various uses already mentioned and the widespread use of this type of manual press already hint at its various advantages over other machinery used for the same purpose. In general, hydraulic presses are geared towards reducing energy consumption and providing better control of speed, position and tonnage for the production of more complex, deeper parts that require a lot of material flow. Full force throughout the stroke: it is possible to maintain full power at any point in the stroke, not only at the bottom or end of the stroke as in mechanical presses. In other words, there is no need to calculate tonnage pressure at the start of the stroke. Among all these advantages, the following stand out:

• Greater capacity at lower cost: manual hydraulic presses are relatively simple and offer cost savings thanks to their high production capacity, greater than other types of press. In addition, the length of the pressing stroke can be increased and breakdowns are usually much less costly and easier to fix, whether in the packing, the solenoid coil or a valve.
• Overload protection: a 30-tonne manual hydraulic press will exert 30 tonnes of pressure or less, depending on the force you want to apply, without risking breaking the die or piston or the press itself. When the limit is reached, the safety valve opens at that limit and there is no danger of overload.
• Small size and low noise: the standard 30-tonne manual hydraulic press measures only approximately 1.7 x 0.6 x 1.5 metres and, having fewer moving parts, its noise level is much lower than other types of press. In addition, presses of higher tonnage are not much larger.
• Other advantages are faster set-ups, less time to adapt to different dies and lower tooling costs (the lack of impact, shock and vibration gives tooling a longer service life).