the variable frequency drive allows the press to be run at any speed within its designed range the combination of the variable frequency drive and the powder compacting press provides significant advantages the variable frequency drive reduces the need for a hand crank to be used during set up and use of the press in some embodiments a removable hand crank is still provided for use by operators accustomed to hand cranks or for use prior to motor installation and without power an interlock prevents motorized operation of the press with the hand crank in place the variable frequency drive allows an operator to safely and accurately move the motor to a set position to set up the press in addition the press may be initially run at a very slow speed to allow the operator to watch the operation to make sure that everything is operating properly the speed may then be increased to a true operating speed also the variable frequency drive avoids laborious changes in the drive mechanism previously required to change the speed of the press traditionally to change the speed of the press required significant manipulation of the drive means and was required to be performed with the press running this could present problems for example if a high speed process was performed and then the tooling was changed for an operation best performed at low speed it was necessary to start the new operation.