A method of forming a compact includes removing material from a workpiece, transferring metallic dust released during the material removal into a conduit, operating a plurality of slide gates to selectively control movement of the dust from the conduit to either one of a primary collector and a back-up collector, drawing the dust through the conduit to a compactor, and compacting the dust in the compactor.

A method of forming a compact includes removing material from a workpiece, transferring metallic dust released during the material removal into a conduit, operating a plurality of slide gates to selectively control movement of the dust from the conduit to either one of a primary collector and a back-up collector, drawing the dust through the conduit to a compactor, and compacting the dust in the compactor.

Embodiments provide methods and apparatus for manufacturing a microtablet from a precursor material such as a pharmaceutical powder. Various embodiments provide a method which includes compressing the powder to form a compressed mass of a selected density and repeatedly compacting the compressed mass to increase the density of the compressed mass and form a microtablet. Related methods and apparatus are provided.

Pressing arrangement (100) comprising a pressure vessel (1, 16, 17) and a furnace chamber (18) arranged therein defining a treatment region for an article (5), the treatment cycle including a cooling phase. The pressing arrangement (100) comprises a fan (35) configured to circulate a pressurised gas within the pressure vessel (1, 16, 17) and a heating device (36) for heating the pressurised gas in the treatment region. It further comprises a control and processing module (6) configured to, during the cooling phase: obtain temperature values in the treatment region; based on these values, determine a cooling power for cooling of the pressurised gas in the treatment region; determine a difference between a cooling power required to obtain a selected value of cooling rate of the pressurised gas and the determined cooling power; and based on this difference, control the fan's (35) rotational speed so as to make the difference decrease. If the cooling power provided by the operation of the fan (35) exceeds a cooling power corresponding to the desired cooling rate of the pressurised gas, the control module (6) is configured to, based on the determined difference, heat the pressurised gas using the heating device (36) to make the difference decrease.

A method for sampling both layers of a bi-layer tablet, comprising forming a first layer of a first pharmaceutical powder of the bi-layer tablet in a tablet press machine, performing weight compensation for forming a second layer of a second pharmaceutical powder of the bi-layer tablet based at least on the formed first layer, performing height compensation for forming the second layer of the second pharmaceutical powder of the bi-layer tablet based at least on the formed first layer, and forming the second layer of the bi-layer tablet based on the performed height compensation and weight compensation, in the tablet press machine, for individually sampling both the first and second layers of the bi-layer tablet.

A method for realising ceramic slabs or tiles, comprising the following steps: laying a soft layer (SL) of granular or powder ceramic material on a support plane (P); pressing the soft layer (SL) in order to obtain a compacted layer (CL); firing the compacted layer (CL); prior to the pressing, applying an identification mark (M) onto the soft layer (SL), the identification mark (M) having an optical contrast with respect to the soft layer (SL), so as to enable an optical detection of the mark (M); subsequently to the pressing, acquiring an image of the mark (M); processing the image of the mark (M) detected so as to control one or more operating steps subsequent to the pressing.

A motor-driven powder molding machine according to the present disclosure molds powder using an upper mold and a lower mold and includes, in each of the upper and lower molds, a main ram for operating the upper or lower mold through a main shaft; an auxiliary ram for operating the upper or lower mold through an auxiliary shaft in synchronization with the main ram; and a pressure detector for detecting a pressure in an axial direction in at least one of the main ram and the auxiliary ram. The motor-driven powder molding machine further includes a controller for controlling operation speeds of the upper and lower molds by at least one of the main ram and the auxiliary ram so that the pressure falls within a predetermined range based on the detected pressure.

A containment for use in hot Isostatic pressing, the containment comprising a body formed from sheet material and fused together along its longitudinal length using a backing strip on the outside of body. Also a containment with a body and top and bottom caps diffusion bonded upon hot isostatic pressing, a containment with a gas purge inlet and outlet and an apparatus for vacuum degassing are disclosed.

A pressing arrangement (100) is disclosed. The pressing arrangement (100) comprises a pressure vessel (2) and a furnace chamber (18) arranged within the pressure vessel (2). The furnace chamber (18) is at least partly enclosed by a heat insulated casing (6, 5 7, 8) and arranged so that pressure medium can enter and exit the furnace chamber (18). The pressing arrangement (100) comprises a plurality of pressure medium guiding passages (10, 11) in fluid communication with the furnace chamber (18) and arranged to form an outer cooling loop within the pressure vessel (2). The pressing arrangement (100) comprises a heat absorbing element (20) which is arranged within the pressure vessel (2) and which is 10 configured to absorb heat from pressure medium having exited the furnace chamber (18).

A press-tool for manufacturing a cutting insert green body includes a first and a second punch movable along a first pressing axis. A first and a second die member are movable towards an end position. The first and the second die members are configured to form, in the end position, a die cavity. A core extends between and through the die cavity when the first and the second die member are in the end position. At least a first core portion is arranged to form the core, wherein the at least first core portion is arranged in the first or the second die member such that the at least first core portion is moved together with the first or the second die member.