Abstract: A multi-step press system includes a press that consists of a press frame, a table provided on the press frame and a ram provided above the table for making movement in a Z-axis direction. The table has a standby station into which workpieces are loaded one by one and a plurality of press-forming stations in which the workpieces are sequentially press-formed. The system further includes a press die set consisting of a lower die attached to the table and an upper die attached to the ram. The lower die and the upper die are adapted to simultaneously press-form the workpieces placed in the press-forming stations. On one side of the press, there is provided a destacker for periodically loading the workpieces into the standby station. A transfer feeder is provided between the table and the ram for simultaneously picking up and transferring the workpieces.

Abstract: A press die set for a multi-step press system includes a lower die attached to a table and an upper die attached to a ram, the lower die and the upper die being adapted to simultaneously press-form workpieces placed in press-forming stations. The lower die includes a base attached to the table, plural pairs of guide rails fixedly secured to a top surface of the base, each pair of guide rails having mutually opposing grooves, a plurality of first die segments for press-forming the workpieces into desired shapes, each of the die segments having a slider plate removably inserted into the grooves of each pair of guide rails, and a plurality of clamping units provided on opposite lateral sides of each pair of guide rails for clamping the slider plate against removal. The upper die has substantially the same structure as that of the lower die.