UrBC, Yekaterinburg, September 23, 2015. An upgraded 1000 ton-force strong press KB 8340 was newly installed at Uralvagonzavod Corporation’s head plant recently. The new piece of equipment is meant for stamping and bending of parts for railcars and special vehicles, the company press service reports.

‘The startup and commissioning jobs were completed by experts from a Barnaul-based plant. This upgrade was part of our import replacement program. The quality of this Russian machine is flawless, and now that the press control system has been improved, it offers much better value for money than its foreign counterparts,’ the press service says.

The overhaul contract was signed as early as last year, when the plant focused on the development of its railcar 12-196 production line. In May, the press was sent to Barnaul for the overhaul, and taken back to the plant four months later. The worn-out parts were replaced with new ones and additional protection systems were added.

Additionally, the press was fitted with a computer to enhance the equipment performance and efficiency. An LCD display was installed for the operator’s convenience as well. All this was made at a very low prime cost and over a very short period of time because the Barnaul plant has its own production base where most of the parts were manufactured.