A new technique for designing preforms within the capacity limit of forging equipment has been developed for axisymmetric heavy forgings. In order to prove this technique, model experiments were carried out. Plasticine was used as a model material to simulate AISI4130 steel at elevated temperature and a model gravity drop hammer was constructed by the conversion of 35 tonne m counter-blow hammer. From these experiments, it has been verified that a dome-shaped heavy product can be forged successfully from the systematically designed preforms resulting from the present work.