Hydraulic Press The hydraulic press does not generally achieve the high cycling speeds of a similar-sized mechanical press, but it does offer greater versatility with its variable stroke length, die space, and pressure. The hydraulic press is often the best choice when producing parts with deep, complex forms that require a lot of material flow and are not dependent on production speed. Parts such as tanks, cylinders, and bowl shapes, as well as parts that require a “dwell” at the bottom of the stroke (including plastics), are often run on hydraulic presses. Characteristics of a typical hydraulic press: • variable stroke length • slide motion and position control throughout the range of the stroke length • variable slide velocity, even within a single cycle of the press (typically configured as fast approach, slow press, fast return) • full working energy at any speed • full press capacity at any point in the stroke • adjustability of all the above • in general, slower than a mechanical or servo press • in general, lower accuracy and repeatability than a mechanical or servo press • relatively low initial cost