the pressing machine includes a pressing ram , a drive arrangement for moving the ram from a starting position to an end - of - stroke position and back to the starting position and includes an electric drive motor . a control arrangement establishes the end - of - stroke position for the ram . the control arrangement includes a direction - reversing circuit connected to the drive arrangement for reversing the direction in which the drive arrangement moves the ram and includes a direction - reversing relay arrangement having a current path for activating current . a controllable electronic switch is connected to the activating current path for controlling the activation of the direction - reversing relay arrangement . a control - signal - generating circuit controls the conductivity of the electronic switch by generating and applying to the control input of the electronic switch a control signal dependent at least upon the loading of the drive motor .