Press apparatus and method for manufacturing different-thickness metal plate

A press apparatus that is configured to manufacture a different-thickness metal plate, the press apparatus comprising:

• a lower support mechanism for supporting a metal plate that is to be processed into the different-thickness metal plate, the lower support mechanism including:
• a vertical wall surface;
• a blank pedestal configured to receive, when in a horizontal orientation, the metal plate that is to be processed into the different-thickness metal plate, the metal plate being received on an upward facing surface of the blank pedestal;
• clamps that clamp two opposite ends of the metal plate to the blank pedestal with a plate surface of the metal plate facing upward, the plate surface being a surface of the metal plate that is to be processed by shaving;
• and
• a rotating mechanism configured to rotate the blank pedestal with the metal plate clamped to the blank pedestal so that the blank pedestal and the metal plate are brought into an upright, vertical orientation along the vertical wall surface, and
• an upper die that includes:
• a slider that is configured to descend into the lower support mechanism from above the lower support mechanism and includes an opposed surface that faces toward the plate surface of the metal plate while the metal plate and the blank pedestal are in the upright, vertical orientation along the vertical wall surface of the lower support mechanism;
• a roller projecting from the opposed surface of the slider, and
• a cutting tool disposed on the opposed surface of the slider, the cutting tool projecting from the opposed surface beyond the roller, wherein
• the press apparatus is configured to process the metal plate by lowering the slider into the lower support mechanism and shaving at least a part of the plate surface of the metal plate with the cutting tool to form the different-thickness metal plate, the shaving being performed while the metal plate is being pressed by the roller when the slider descends.