Ball transfer units are standard equipment in press shop tooling logistics: they sit inside press beds as spring-loaded die lifters, on die change carts, and under pre-staging turntables so stamping dies move, rotate, and swap in minutes instead of hours. According to Aura Systems, a US maker of die handling equipment, its die change turntable assists the operator in pre-staging the stamping die for quick change in the press.

Stamping dies are heavy. Aura Systems builds six-position die storage racks rated for 12,000 lb dies and single racks for 2,000 lb dies, while transfer cart makers such as FADA (shown at EMO Hannover 2025) build 30-ton die transfer carts for automotive press shops and 60-ton mold carts. Between the press, the rack, and the cart, the die changes direction at every step, and that is where ball transfers earn their place.

Three Places Ball Transfers Work in a Press Shop

Press beds and die lifters. Spring-loaded ball transfer units sit recessed in the press bed and lift the die off the bolster so it can be slid out or in by hand. Omnitrack builds cylindrical die lifters and b-bar and t-bar units that recess within machine and press beds, using a pre-stressed disc spring to spread the load evenly over a set of units; its heavy duty range is rated to 8,000 kg per unit.

Die carts and transfer tables. A die cart delivers the tool to the press, but final alignment and rotation happen on a ball transfer deck. Ball transfer tables are common in die handling because they let a worker rotate a tool 360° in place, cutting the lifting and twisting that cause back injuries in tool rooms, and they suit die molds, metal sheets, crates, and totes alike.

Die change turntables. A turntable pre-stages the next die beside the press. Loaded with heavy duty ball transfers, the table spins the die into the correct orientation for the cart or crane, reducing the changeover sequence to a straight-line move.

How to Choose Ball Transfers for Die Handling?

Divide the heaviest die weight by the number of units that contact it, then multiply by a safety factor of three, as Alwayse recommends. A 6,000 kg die on a 12-unit deck with a 3x safety factor needs units rated near 1,500 kg each. Add spring-loaded units wherever the die is dropped onto the deck, and use felt seals or covers when dies sit on the table for long periods. Mallard suggests 1.5 to 3 inch ball spacing for even load support on flat-rigid tooling.

• Aura Systems die change turntables pre-stage stamping dies; storage racks hold 12,000 lb dies
• FADA die transfer carts carry 30 tons for automotive press shops
• Omnitrack spring-loaded die lifters recess in press beds; 8,000 kg per unit rating
• Ball transfer tables give 360° rotation for die molds at setup and inspection stations
• Alwayse selection rule: divide die weight by three for dynamic load rating

Ahcell supplies press shop decks from its CY and SP ranges: the CY-25T inner-spring unit is built for punch press die tables, and the flange-mounted SP-22 suits cart decks and turntables, both dimensioned to ISO 15299. A die change that once needed two riggers and a crane now needs one operator and a push bar.