Germany’s SMS Meer developed a hydraulic horizontal forging machine that the company claims is the first of its type in the world. The machine is used for the pre-forming of parts, which are subsequently given their intermediate or final form in the die. The machine enables setup times to be reduced and productivity to be increased. This new horizontal machine is a type of SMS Meer’s SMX radial forging machine. A special feature is the integrated die-shifting device, which permits a second die to be used within one forging process. This machine has been commissioned by a Japanese customer.