PURPOSE: To automatically control the movements of a forging and a manipulator device by detecting a chucking position in the other side of a forging machine from a moving speed and a draft of a material to be forged.

CONSTITUTION: The tip part of the material 10 to be forged is detected by sensors 11, 12, 13 provided at both sides of the forging machines 5 of an NFP forging apparatus 1. The material 10 is held by a chuck head 4 in the manipulator device at the one side (inlet side) of the forging machine 5 and carried to the forging machine 5. The tip part of the material 10 extrude by forging by the forging machine 5 is detected by the sensor 13 at the other side of the forging machine 5. The moving speed of the material 10 at the time of detecting is calculated by using a control unit 15, etc. The chucking position of the chuck head 7 of the manipulator device at the other side (outlet side) of the forging machine 5 is detected from the calculated moving speed and the draft of the forged material. By this method, the programmatic forging can be executed to improve the working efficiency.