The rings and bevel gears produced by the Italian manufacturer Molla in Solbiate Arno (Varese) for use in construction and agricultural machinery, as well as trucks, can be up to 1m in diameter. Several forging presses from Schuler’s subsidiary Farina are used in this process; and following successful preliminary acceptance, a further 10,000-tonne GLF line will be on its way to the customer this summer.

This is Molla’s sixth order, which in addition to this press also includes another two with capacities of 6,000 and 1,000 tonnes each. The three machines form a forging cell for the preforming, deburring and finish forging of rings.

Farina’s GLF-series presses, which offer particularly high levels of structural rigidity as well as a low press height above floor level, range from 750 to 10,000 tonnes. They also allow the use of off-centre dies that reduce the burr thickness in the forged parts produced. Founded in 1942, Molla is a family business that is now run by the third generation.

The company began specialising in the production of hot-rolled steel rings in the early 1960s; and in addition to numerous forging presses, the company also has several heat treatment and rolling lines of its own.