The production processes of sheet metal products with complex geometries often use transfer presses to obtain fully formed workpieces from a single machine. The job of adjusting a new multistage tool set increases with the number of stages because the deformations of the frame, the bottom platen, and the ram vary with the different applied loads. Each of the forces applied by the stages causes a specific deformation of the machine, while each stage is also influenced by all other stages. The Institute for Metal Forming and Metal Forming Machine Tools (University of Hanover, Germany) has developed a new computer-based set-up system for multistage tools. Once the machine properties have been measured, the system calculates the deformation of the machine on the basis of the forming forces measured during the tool setting process. The use of the developed system will help to shorten the first set-up of new tool sets. Manufacturers of sheet metal products are expecting significant time savings. © IMechE 2006.