Machine for cracking a connecting rod having a small end and a big end, into a rod part and a cap part, said machine comprising: positioning elements for positioning said connecting rod in a position for cracking; an expandable element arranged to be inserted into a bore in said big end of the connecting rod so as to allow for splitting of said connecting rod into said rod part and said cap part by expanding said expandable element; and an electro press comprising an electric motor for actuating the expandable element, characterized in that the electro press comprises a first actuator part arranged to be driven by said electric motor between a first position (Fig. 12A) and a second position (Fig. 12C), in that the machine further comprises a second actuator part arranged to be driven by said first actuator part between a non-expanding position in which it does not produce expansion of said expandable element, and an expanding position in which it produces expansion of said expandable element; and in that said first actuator part and said second actuator part are arranged so that when the first actuator part is driven by the electric motor from said first position to said second position, (a) the first actuator part is first driven by the electric motor from said first position (Fig. 12A) to an intermediate position (Fig. 12B), without displacing the second actuator part, and (b) subsequently the first actuator part is further driven by the electric motor from said intermediate position (Fig. 12B) to said second position (Fig. 12C), displacing the second actuator part from the non-expanding position to the expanding position. positioning elements for positioning said connecting rod in a position for cracking; an expandable element arranged to be inserted into a bore in said big end of the connecting rod so as to allow for splitting of said connecting rod into said rod part and said cap part by expanding said expandable element; and an electro press comprising an electric motor for actuating the expandable element, characterized in that the electro press comprises a first actuator part arranged to be driven by said electric motor between a first position (Fig. 12A) and a second position (Fig. 12C), in that the machine further comprises a second actuator part arranged to be driven by said first actuator part between a non-expanding position in which it does not produce expansion of said expandable element, and an expanding position in which it produces expansion of said expandable element; and in that said first actuator part and said second actuator part are arranged so that when the first actuator part is driven by the electric motor from said first position to said second position, (a) the first actuator part is first driven by the electric motor from said first position (Fig. 12A) to an intermediate position (Fig. 12B), without displacing the second actuator part, and (b) subsequently the first actuator part is further driven by the electric motor from said intermediate position (Fig. 12B) to said second position (Fig. 12C), displacing the second actuator part from the non-expanding position to the expanding position. (a) the first actuator part is first driven by the electric motor from said first position (Fig. 12A) to an intermediate position (Fig. 12B), without displacing the second actuator part, and (b) subsequently the first actuator part is further driven by the electric motor from said intermediate position (Fig. 12B) to said second position (Fig. 12C), displacing the second actuator part from the non-expanding position to the expanding position.