"Forging is where Sutherland's engineering heritage really shows. Our customers are under pressure to increase throughput, reduce energy costs, and hit tighter tolerances on harder materials, and they need a forge press partner who actually understands the drivetrain, the controls, and the service side of the equation. That's exactly what we've built. Whether a shop needs a 400-ton KNP for cold net-shape work or a 4,400-ton FPG for heavy forging, we can design it, build it, install it, and keep it running. We're actively growing our forge press business and we want to talk to anyone evaluating new capacity."
Bowe, Director of Business Development, Sutherland Presses
Sutherland's forge presses are engineered to exceed the JIS (Japanese Industrial Standard) 1st Class standard, widely regarded as the highest benchmark for industrial machinery. Every forge press build incorporates heat-treated and stress-relieved frames, patented motorized slide adjustment, and eccentric shafts rated at 200% overload capacity for sustained high-demand production.
The current lineup includes four primary series:
FPG Series (660 to 4,400 ton), Engineered for the toughest forging applications with a robust steel frame, eccentric shafts rated at 200% overload, 8-point full-length slide guides, and thermal bearing sensors. The FPG-X variant introduces X-angle slide guidance to accommodate thermal expansion while maintaining very close tolerance slide guides, an important advantage in hot forging where dimensional drift is a constant challenge.
FP Series (440 to 1,100 ton), Designed for flatter, wider forgings. Features single and multi-station die holders with hydraulic ejectors, a dedicated “unsticking” device, fully guarded high- and low-speed gears, high-compression bronze bushings, and massive pitman slide connections.
KNP Series (440 to 1,100 ton), Purpose-built for cold and net-shape forging. Available with either link or knuckle joint drives, the KNP features a heat-treated, stress-relieved steel frame, 8-point full-length slide guides, and an encoder-based slide position monitor for precise repeatability. Automatic grease lubrication, recirculating oil systems, electronically monitored lubrication distribution blocks, and Bijur automatic air counter-balance oilers round out a package designed for trouble-free continuous operation.
Forge Press Applications Across Industries
Sutherland forge presses are deployed across a broad set of industries. In aerospace, they produce hot-headed bolts and critical fasteners where zero-defect performance is non-negotiable. In automotive, they handle cored forge work, crankshafts, gears, and drivetrain components. In hand tools, the company recently supplied a major international hand tool maker with both hot and cold automated forge press lines controlled by I-PRESS FORGE® line controllers.
What tonnage range does Sutherland offer for forge presses?
Sutherland forge presses are available from 200 tons (entry-level) up to 4,400 tons (FPG series), covering virtually every hot, warm, and cold forging application.
What is the difference between the FP, FPG, and FPG-X series?
The FP series is optimized for flatter, wider forgings. The FPG series handles taller and thicker forgings with a heavier-duty frame and drive. The FPG-X adds X-angle slide guidance, compensating for thermal expansion while maintaining very close tolerance slide clearances, ideal for hot forging operations with strict dimensional requirements.
Can Sutherland forge presses be integrated with automation?
Yes. Every Sutherland forge press ships with the I-PRESS FORGE® press and automation controller, enabling integration with feeders, robots, transfer systems, and factory-wide Connected Enterprise networks. Sutherland has supplied fully automated hot and cold forge press lines to major hand tool and automotive customers.
What standards do Sutherland forge presses meet?
All Sutherland presses are designed, welded, heat-treated, machined, assembled, tested, and documented to meet or exceed the JIS 1st Class standard, widely considered the highest benchmark for industrial press machinery, as well as all key international standards.
How do I request a forge press quote from Sutherland?
Contact the Sutherland sales team directly at +1-310-453-6981, toll-free at +1-800-43-PRESS, or by email at sales@sutherlandpresses.com. More information is available at sutherlandpresses.com.
Sutherland's forge business is built on three pillars, a Controls First Philosophy, a global certified service network, and three generations of family ownership. The I-PRESS FORGE® control platform uses advanced temperature sensors for maximum press protection and is fully customizable for special applications. The service organization operates on what the company calls a “Pit Crew Mentality”, identify the problem, deploy the nearest skilled technician, solve it fast.
With thousands of press lines in the field and a California headquarters fully stocked with original spare and replacement parts, Sutherland backs every forge press sale with long-term parts availability and rapid response service.
ABOUT SUTHERLAND PRESSES
Founded in 1946 and now in its third generation of family ownership, Sutherland Presses designs, builds, and services mechanical, servo-hydraulic, and forge presses from 100 to 4,400+ tons. The company's presses, controlled by its proprietary I-PRESS®, I-PRESS HYDRO®, and I-PRESS FORGE® platforms, are deployed worldwide in automotive, aerospace, appliance, hand tool, composites, and heavy industry applications. Sutherland Presses is headquartered in Ventura, California, with a dedicated press prep center in La Mirada, California, and a global network of certified service specialists.
Email: sales@sutherlandpresses.com
Web: www.sutherlandpresses.com
"Forging is where Sutherland's engineering heritage really shows. Our customers are under pressure to increase throughput, reduce energy costs, and hit tighter tolerances on harder materials, and they need a forge press partner who actually understands the drivetrain, the controls, and the service side of the equation. That's exactly what we've built. Whether a shop needs a 400-ton KNP for cold net-shape work or a 4,400-ton FPG for heavy forging, we can design it, build it, install it, and keep it running. We're actively growing our forge press business and we want to talk to anyone evaluating new capacity."
Bowe, Director of Business Development, Sutherland Presses
