Used Press Installation Guide: From Foundation to First Start
To install a used forging press, prepare the site and foundation according to the manufacturer foundation drawing, then set and align the machine. After that, connect power, lubrication, air or hydraulics, and complete the checks before first start. The exact foundation requirements depend on machine weight, soil conditions, and the original press design.
Published: 3 Jul 2026 · Updated: 20 Jul 2026
What Should You Prepare Before the Machine Arrives?
Site survey
Check the full route into the shop: gate width, clear height, floor loading, turning space, truck access, and crane approach. A used press move fails quickly when the route is checked too late.
Foundation drawing
Request the manufacturer foundation drawing before civil work starts. Forging press foundation requirements come from that drawing and from the local structural design, not from a generic depth number.
Electrical supply
Plan the supply around the motor nameplate. Examples from TRIGA machine data include Dnepropress D2243 at 62 kW, TMP Voronezh KB8044 at 77 kW, and STANKO F1734 at 36 kW.
Compressed air
Mechanical forging presses often need compressed air for clutch and brake systems. Confirm pressure, pipe size, dryer capacity, and receiver capacity against the machine documentation.
Crane and rigging team
Book the crane and local rigging crew early. Give them the machine weight, lifting points, transport drawings, and the access survey before the truck reaches the site.
What Does the Foundation Work Involve?
Anchor layout
Set the anchor pattern and foundation depth by the manufacturer foundation drawing. The final design depends on the mass of the press, dynamic loads, and soil conditions.
Concrete block
A massive concrete block is standard practice for production forging presses. It gives the machine a stable base and helps control vibration from repeated blows or press cycles.
Vibration isolation
Use vibration isolation when the press design, floor structure, or neighbouring equipment requires it. The local civil engineer should match the isolation system to the machine and the soil.
Concrete strength planning
Plan enough time for the concrete to reach the required strength before installation. The required period comes from the civil design and the concrete supplier, so include it in the project schedule.
Final survey
Complete a final geodetic survey of the foundation, anchor positions, and bearing surfaces before the press arrives. Correct errors before the lifting team is on site.
What Is the Installation Sequence?
Set the frame
Place the press frame or bed on the prepared foundation. Keep the lifting plan, centre of gravity, and marked lifting points visible to the rigging crew.
Assemble major units
Reassemble large units if the press travelled in sections. Large machines may need slide, crown, clutch, flywheel, cylinders, tanks, and guards installed in sequence. See heavy press dismantling and logistics planning before the move.
Align and level
Align and level the press according to the manufacturer procedure. Do not invent tolerance values; use the machine documentation or the commissioning engineer's method.
Grout and anchors
Tighten, grout, and finish the anchor system according to the foundation drawing and civil specification. Keep anchor records with the commissioning file.
Connect utilities
Connect lubrication, pneumatics, hydraulics, cooling, and electrics. Match the electrical connection to the motor nameplate and the control cabinet documentation.
What Is the First Start Checklist?
Manual rotation
Turn the mechanism by hand or at low speed where the design allows. Listen for binding and check that the slide, guides, crank, screw, or hydraulic motion moves cleanly.
Lubrication points
Fill every lubrication point and verify oil levels before powered movement. Old presses often have many manual points that must not be skipped.
No-load start
Start the press without load. Watch oil pressure, air pressure, motor current, pump noise, slide travel, and the behaviour of the control system.
Clutch and brake
Check clutch engagement and brake stopping behaviour, including the stopping angle where the press design uses it. Record abnormal delay, slip, or noise for correction before production.
Safety and load trial
Test limit switches, emergency stops, guards, interlocks, and safety circuits before die work. Then increase load step by step with tooling and use a written forging press inspection checklist.
Frequently Asked Questions
There is no universal depth. The foundation must follow the manufacturer foundation drawing and the local civil design. It depends on machine mass and soil conditions: a Barnaul K8340 is about 25.6 t, while a Dnepropress D2243 is 144.5 t. A local structural engineer should design the foundation.
TRIGA organizes dismantling, loading, and transport. Installation at the buyer site is usually done by local riggers and installation contractors. We pass on machine data, weights, and available documentation so your local team can plan the work.
Many Soviet-era presses use 380 V, 50 Hz motors, but the motor nameplate is the authority. An electrician must confirm compatibility with the local power supply, protection, cabinet condition, and control voltage before connection.
Safety requirements depend on local regulations. The buyer safety specialist should assess guards, emergency stops, interlocks, two-hand controls, electrical protection, and operating procedures. TRIGA passes on machine data and available documentation.
The duration depends on machine mass, foundation readiness, access to the shop, utilities, reassembly scope, and the installation contractor. Build the schedule with the rigging and commissioning team before transport starts.
Cargo insurance is arranged through the freight forwarder or haulier that manages the transport. The insurance scope, declared value, route, and handling conditions should be agreed before loading.
Planning a press relocation?
Send the machine type, weight, and destination site. We can help with dismantling, loading, and transport planning.