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Shop Press: A Larger but Narrow Category

Hydraulic presses can be known by many names depending on the application they are being used for or the industry that is purchasing them. For example, shop presses are press structures specifically used in shop environments such as automotive repair shops and machining shops. In this case, shop presses serve a narrow field since they refer to presses used in specific environments. However, at the same time shop presses can be powered by a number of different sources. There are electric shop presses, pneumatic shop presses and hydraulic shop presses available from shop press manufacturers and distributors. When looked at from this angle, the shop press category is the larger category within which hydraulic presses are a subcategory.

This large but narrow title, shop presses, is in fact a very simple structure. Shop presses can be designed for portable use or to be installed as a floor model within a shop space. For standing shop presses, 20 tons of pressure seems to be the going rate, regardless of how the machine is powered. Like all hydraulic presses, as well as presses with pneumatic and electric power, the shop press produces concentrated force. What the force is used to do depends on the tool attached to the ram delivering the forceful blow or blows.

Common shop press uses include cutting, crushing, straightening, bending, flattening, pushing, pulling, pressing, lifting and spreading, all of which are useful in manufacturing or fixing metallic or plastic products. Other materials that are produced by way of shop presses may include wood, ceramics, metal and stone. Although a hard surface is not required to be worked on by way of a shop press, a heavy duty press is necessary for the hard surface. Although the details may vary as far as size, shape and power sources go, the pressing force of a shop press is always impressive.