C-Frame Presses: Gap Frame Families and Their Published Specifications

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The C-Frame Press Families

A C-frame press — also called a gap frame press — leaves the die space open at the front and both sides, so coil, blanks and finished parts move through the working zone without threading them through a closed frame. This manufacturer's C-frame line is its broadest: four crank series (C1N, A1, C1S deep throat, C2N two-point), a servo series (EC1) and a hydraulic series (Y1C), plus the GS C-frame high-speed press. This page carries selected published specifications for the C1N, A1, C1S and C2N crank families; the EC1 table is on the servo page, the Y1C table on the hydraulic page and the GS table on the high-speed page.

C1N C-Frame Mechanical Press (15-400 Tons)

The C1N is the general-purpose machine of the range, documented for blanking, punching, bending and forming of small single pieces of thin steel plate, worked at high single-stroking rate or continuously from blanks or coil stock. Published data, from the manufacturer's C1N table of 13 models (C1N-15 to C1N-400): stroke 30-300 mm across V and H variants; variable SPM 20-200; die height 195-550 mm; slide area up to 1,050 x 840 mm; bolster up to 1,800 x 950 mm; main motors from 2.2 kW (C1N-15) to 37 kW (C1N-400); pneumatic die cushions from 2.3 tons (C1N-35) to 14 tons. Standard published features: fast-response hydraulic overload protection, GB (JIS) Class 1 precision, and customization of SPM, stroke, rating point and bed.

A note on reading the C1N table: the manufacturer's page prints the H (high-speed) variant column before the V column for the C1N-35 and larger models; the pairs above are re-ordered V/H to match the other tables on this page. The C1N-160 bolster thickness is printed as 410 mm on the manufacturer's page and is reproduced as printed.

A1 C-Frame Single Crank Press — Published Technical Data

The A1's V and H variants trade stroke for speed: the H variants run shorter strokes (30-100 mm) at higher rates — up to 190 SPM on the A1-25H — while the V variants carry the long strokes. The A1 page documents the same application set as the C1N — blanking, punching, bending, forming — and connection with progressive dies, mechanical arms and transfer systems.

C1S Deep Throat Press — Published Technical Data

The C1S exists for one reason: throat depth — the distance from the centre of the plate to the frame. Its published throat options run from 600 mm to 1,300 mm, for wide sheet, perforated products and parts whose working point sits far from the sheet edge, which a standard gap frame (throat depth 170-450 mm across the A1 table) cannot reach. The throat is customized to the customer's sheet width, per the product page.

C2N C-Frame Double Crank Press — Published Technical Data

Two crankshafts drive the C2N slide at two points, guided by full-length six-point box gibs — the C-frame answer to long, narrow parts and progressive dies that need a long bed: bolsters run to 2,700 mm. The 110-ton size appears in both layouts in the catalogue: as the single-point C1N-110 in the C1N family, and as the two-point C2N-110 in this family. The catalogue also lists straight side families on the H-frame page.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the advantage of a C-frame over a straight side press?

Access. The die zone is open on three sides, so coil feeds straight through and the die is reached from the front and both sides. The trade-off is frame deflection under off-centre load. The C2N two-point C-frame is itself documented for long, narrow parts, and the straight side families are listed on the H-frame page.

What does throat depth mean and when does it matter?

Throat depth is the distance from the centre of the die to the frame behind it. Deep parts stamped far from a sheet edge need it: the C1S publishes throat options of 600-1,300 mm against 170-450 mm across the standard A1 gap frame table.

C1N or A1 — what is the difference?

Both are C-frame single crank presses with overlapping ranges (C1N 15-400 t, A1 25-315 t) and the same documented applications. The tables differ in detail — die height, slide and bolster dimensions, SPM bands — so the choice is made on the exact model figures for your die; both tables are published on this page and the mechanical press page.

Can a C-frame press run a progressive die from coil?

Yes — the C1N and A1 pages document progressive die work and coil feeding, and the feeding line page covers the decoiler-straightener-feeder units that complete the cell.