Press is the main equipment of compression molding, which is divided into frame structure and column structure according to the frame structure. According to the position of the main pressure cylinder, the press can be divided into up press and down press. The down press with the oil cylinder under can be used to press large plastic laminates. The up press is often used to press general plastic parts. According to the type of working fluid, it can also be divided into hydraulic press driven by hydraulic oil and hydraulic press driven by oil-water emulsion. The power source of the hydraulic press generally adopts the central energy storage station, a central energy storage station can drive dozens to more than 100 hydraulic presses at the same time, which is more advantageous when the production scale of the factory is large. In addition, there are various forms of manual presses in the laboratory, such as screw press, Jack press, etc.

At present, the most commonly used hydraulic presses are all kinds of hydraulic presses, and the presses are equipped with computer program control devices to complete the actions of pressing, exhausting, pressure maintaining curing, mold opening, and pushing out the parts of thermosetting plastic products. Some of them are also equipped with manipulators to pick up the parts, which can realize the automation of the operation process.