Dished end presses and tank-head manufacturing machines (Dished End)

BERMET dished end presses (also known as tank-head manufacturing machines, dishing presses, tank-head forming machines or Dished End Forming Machines) are designed for the high-precision production of steel and stainless-steel tank heads. These machines are key equipment in the manufacture of pressure vessels, industrial tanks, silos, boilers and process equipment, enabling the fast, repeatable and highly precise forming of large-diameter circular plates. Modern production lines typically consist of a hydraulic dishing press, a flanging machine and a material-handling manipulator.

What is a dished end? A dished end – also known as a tank head, vessel end, or pressure-vessel head – is a domed sheet-metal component used to close cylindrical vessels. The correct geometry distributes the stresses arising from internal pressure more evenly, which is why this design is used for pressure vessels, chemical and stainless-steel process tanks, brewery and beverage tanks, pharmaceutical tanks, LNG and cryogenic tanks, oil and gas equipment, boilers, heat exchangers and silos.

The tank-head manufacturing process consists of four sequential steps. 1. Circular blank cutting: a circular plate of the required diameter is produced using plasma cutting, laser cutting or circle-cutting equipment. 2. Dishing: the hydraulic press gradually forms the central spherical or elliptical shape of the head; modern machines move and rotate the plate using an automatic manipulator, achieving uniform deformation and high accuracy. 3. Flanging: in the second operation, the side flange (knuckle radius) is formed, enabling welding to the tank shell – either on a dedicated flanging machine or an integrated production line. 4. Finishing: the finished part undergoes edge trimming, dimensional inspection and weld-edge preparation.

Tank-head shapes that can be produced: elliptical (2:1 elliptical), torispherical, hemispherical, shallow dished (shallow head), conical head, and flat heads in special designs. Materials that can be processed: mild steel, stainless steel, duplex stainless steel, aluminium and special alloys.

Why BERMET? BERMET machines are built with a high-capacity welded steel frame and hydraulic drive, ensuring high precision and reliable operation over the long term. Automatic manipulators, a modern hydraulic system and programmable control reduce the need for manual intervention, improve dimensional accuracy and increase productivity – from small one-off jobs to large-batch tank and pressure-vessel manufacturing.