Get the latest information on technologies utilizing the hydraulic press. Take new ideas to save time and tooling cost in jewelry production to your workshop. This presentation will focus on the current state-of-the-art techniques using the hydraulic press in jewelry manufacturing. The general use of a hydraulic press as a tool to produce either large lots, one-of-a-kind pieces or its use in prototyping will be reviewed. The techniques covered will range from sheet metal forming at low pressure, to using conforming dies for greater detail at medium pressures, to coining metal with the highest possible detail at relatively high pressures. The use of the hydraulic press in blanking operations and in the deep-drawing of precious metals including gold and platinum will also be discussed and shown graphically along with the pros and cons of the various techniques when using the hydraulic press. Included topics will be: coining, drawing (precious metals, including platinum), die forming, the use of urethane as a die material, and shearing or blanking technologies.

Author: G. Phil Poirier