A high-capacity industrial press in a compact footprint for IMR Industriale Sud Group

IMR INDUSTRIALE SUD Group specializes in exterior and interior components for vehicles, serving leading automotive brands such as Volkswagen, Daimler Mercedes, Lamborghini, Audi, and Ferrari. They design and manufacture advanced composite and plastic body components, working in close synergy across its operations to set industry benchmarks.

Continuous investment in research and development is at the heart of the company’s mission, driven by the belief that only through uncompromising quality, deep expertise, and timely execution can long-term success be achieved in partnership with customers.

For a new plant manufacturing thermoplastic underbody panels, IMR INDUSTRIALE SUD turned to Cannon to provide a customized high-tonnage press.

IMR INDUSTRIALE SUD requested our design for a 4,300-ton hydraulic press with strict limitations on ceiling height and foundation pit space, with the pit already excavated and unable to be modified. In addition to the vertical space constraints, the press had to deliver 700 mm/s closing and opening speed, up to 80 mm/s working speed, about 30-second takt time, and active parallelism control.

Parallelism is essential in high tonnage forming applications helping maintain uniform pressure on the mold, reduce wear, and improve part quality and repeatability.

To meet IMR ’s requirements, we developed a bottom-pushing short-stroke press. The lower table begins moving as the upper platen becomes blocked, helping to significantly reduce overall press height.

The working stroke is generated by two central hydraulic cylinders beneath the lower platen, allowing high force output in a compact design. Platen parallelism is ensured through four corner-mounted hydraulic cylinders that operate in a closed-loop, continuously adjusting force to keep the platen level during forming.

Another key point was our integrating the hydraulic elements of the press and designing the lower fixed platen according to the foundation pit, helping IMR minimize the overall installation footprint without compromising maintenance accessibility.

This approach reflects Cannon’s ability to adapt press architecture precisely to customer
requirements, delivering custom solutions without compromising structural strength, performance, or long-term reliability.

• 4300-ton press for GMT parts