Abstract: A control system enables a press operator to selectively position the slide at a specific resting location corresponding to an absolute dimension of the slide travel path, such as an angular measure relative to the top dead center position of the press machine crankshaft. A programmable limit switch module manages the operation of a brake-clutch combination by commanding a clutch control circuit to actuate disengagement of the clutch at the proper moment so that the slide will subsequently come to rest at the selected resting location. The module includes a programmable limit switch connected to a press speed resolver and a dedicated on-board processor configured to receive the speed data. The processor collects the speed data using a polling operation having very low scan time.