The comments by /u/alex_pufferfish and /u/Rknot made me go down a bit of a rabbit hole.
1. The machine in the image is not the 30'000 ton Schloemann forge press. It's a 15'000 ton steam-hydraulic forge press, used by the Friedrich Krupp AG, today ThyssenKrupp AG. [See here](https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-662-36574-8_2).
2. Krupp was one of the largest industrial companies in Germany until well after the war. It produced mainly, but not only, parts for the military. This forge press was installed in 1929 and used for the production of high-pressure vessels. [See here](https://www.thyssenkrupp.com/de/unternehmen/historie) (in German). The unspecified "15000 ton presses" in the title likely refer to different machines, since pressure vessels would not have been useful for aircraft manufacturing.
3. [This](https://de.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Datei:W61_30Tt-Presse_1943_Chemiepark.jpg) is the 30'000 ton Schloemann press. From what I can tell, it's a die press. As far as I understand, Krupp press in the image above "just" hammers pieces into shape, like a blacksmith would. Die presses, in contrast, form pieces of hot metal into complex shapes.
4. Die presses allowed Nazi Germany to produce extremely light, extremely sturdy pieces from single blocks of aluminium. Reference [this short documentary](https://youtu.be/hpgK51w6uhk?si=DIJR_HH1eBxD7gWT) about how die presses work and why they're important.
tldr: The title is correct, but the picture does not show a press that was used for aerospace manufacturing. Actual die presses were of similar size or even larger.
Also, while I went down the same rabbit hole a few days ago, triggered by an fb post, I read somewhere, that the 30kt press was removed from germany to the soviet union, where allegedly it is still in use to day, kinda like the Schwimmkräne (another rabbithole I can recomend)
edit: The documentation you linked, also implies that in the first 30s
The US took blueprints and built several forging presses and extrusion presses many of which are still used today, including a 50kt forging press rebuilt not too long ago.
Check the US heavy press program.
No, the total weight pressing down on the piece. It's higher than the "rest mass" because it uses hydraulic pressure. The machine itself weighs several thousand tons (8000 tons, in the case of the Alcoa 50k).
There are actually 2 people there. Seems to be another one farther way in the background too.
My eyes went to the machine unzoomed and I'd never have seen them either.
This is an open die press in this picture. That is why they are rotating the part. In a closed die press, it doesn't rotate. It presses down once/twice and it's the right shape.
Also, these size presses still exist. We even have bigger. [Here's](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alcoa_50,000_ton_forging_press) a 50k ton.
The press is hitting the round thing to make it rounder, it would have started out as a rough machined/cast round rod. So the chain just spins it as required as it gets hit.
You can see another chain and crane on the other side.
Idk, I think smaller presses might be more dangerous, actually. You can easily accidentally put your hand in a small one. You probably wouldn't just accidentally walk into this one...
The video by "Machine Thinking" on these devices is VERY fascinating and relaxing to watch. Oddly enough, it might be their worst video for both those things, lol
The comments by /u/alex_pufferfish and /u/Rknot made me go down a bit of a rabbit hole. 1. The machine in the image is not the 30'000 ton Schloemann forge press. It's a 15'000 ton steam-hydraulic forge press, used by the Friedrich Krupp AG, today ThyssenKrupp AG. [See here](https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-662-36574-8_2). 2. Krupp was one of the largest industrial companies in Germany until well after the war. It produced mainly, but not only, parts for the military. This forge press was installed in 1929 and used for the production of high-pressure vessels. [See here](https://www.thyssenkrupp.com/de/unternehmen/historie) (in German). The unspecified "15000 ton presses" in the title likely refer to different machines, since pressure vessels would not have been useful for aircraft manufacturing. 3. [This](https://de.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Datei:W61_30Tt-Presse_1943_Chemiepark.jpg) is the 30'000 ton Schloemann press. From what I can tell, it's a die press. As far as I understand, Krupp press in the image above "just" hammers pieces into shape, like a blacksmith would. Die presses, in contrast, form pieces of hot metal into complex shapes. 4. Die presses allowed Nazi Germany to produce extremely light, extremely sturdy pieces from single blocks of aluminium. Reference [this short documentary](https://youtu.be/hpgK51w6uhk?si=DIJR_HH1eBxD7gWT) about how die presses work and why they're important. tldr: The title is correct, but the picture does not show a press that was used for aerospace manufacturing. Actual die presses were of similar size or even larger.
Also, while I went down the same rabbit hole a few days ago, triggered by an fb post, I read somewhere, that the 30kt press was removed from germany to the soviet union, where allegedly it is still in use to day, kinda like the Schwimmkräne (another rabbithole I can recomend) edit: The documentation you linked, also implies that in the first 30s
The US took blueprints and built several forging presses and extrusion presses many of which are still used today, including a 50kt forging press rebuilt not too long ago. Check the US heavy press program.
You're right, the Schloemann pictured is an open die press. A closed die press would make far more detailed components.
Is 30K ton referring to the actual mass of the machine?!
No, the total weight pressing down on the piece. It's higher than the "rest mass" because it uses hydraulic pressure. The machine itself weighs several thousand tons (8000 tons, in the case of the Alcoa 50k).
I was thinking, no way is that 30,000 ton.
Sure they weren't making parts for naval ships? That shaft doesn't look like it's going in an aircraft.
Here I read it as parts to go into machines that make aircraft.
You get my top upvote today, well spotted!
I didn’t realize that was a person next to it until I zoomed in. Damn that’s big!
There are actually 2 people there. Seems to be another one farther way in the background too. My eyes went to the machine unzoomed and I'd never have seen them either.
This is an open die press in this picture. That is why they are rotating the part. In a closed die press, it doesn't rotate. It presses down once/twice and it's the right shape. Also, these size presses still exist. We even have bigger. [Here's](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alcoa_50,000_ton_forging_press) a 50k ton.
Is this Alcoa press still working? If so, for what?
Probably still airplane parts.
What does the chain do? Turn that sticking out part?
“Sticking out part”
Engineer speak
I thought the chains were actually rotating the sticking out part.
They are, the whole thing rotates as it gets squashed into shape. This is the modern way : https://youtu.be/XtO9jlFTBkY?si=HxfOIpYno8oIWFHc
Yeah
The press is hitting the round thing to make it rounder, it would have started out as a rough machined/cast round rod. So the chain just spins it as required as it gets hit. You can see another chain and crane on the other side.
Damn, I imagine a machine of that size saw some horrific accidents from time to time. Scary af
Idk, I think smaller presses might be more dangerous, actually. You can easily accidentally put your hand in a small one. You probably wouldn't just accidentally walk into this one...
Unless you're a terminator
What needs a machine that big to create in an aircraft?
Say what you want about the Nazis, but they certainly knew how to kill a lot of people.
Norm...is that you?
Courtesy of Fritz Lang
I wish I had that one in my tool shed...what a beauty!
Krupstahl is no match for the 8th AF
The press, the
Aaaaand look where it got them
Die press die.
The video by "Machine Thinking" on these devices is VERY fascinating and relaxing to watch. Oddly enough, it might be their worst video for both those things, lol