A process to perform a pellet compression test in a rotary press, comprising a rotationally driven rotor having upper and lower press punches (14, 16), an upper and lower punch guide (18, 20) for the upper and lower press punches (14, 16) and a die plate between the punch guides (18, 20), wherein the upper and lower press punches (14, 16) cooperate with receptacles of the die plate during production operation of the rotary press, further comprising a filling apparatus in which material to be compacted is filled into the receptacles during production operation of the rotary press, further comprising a pressure apparatus having an upper pressure unit and a lower pressure unit which cooperate with the upper and lower press punches (14, 16) during production operation of the rotary press, such that said press punches compact material located in the receptacles into pellets, wherein the process comprises the following steps: • a punch pair consisting of an upper and lower press punch (14, 16) and assigned to a receptacle of the die plate is brought into a dosing position, in which the upper press punch is moved upwards out of the receptacle and the lower press punch is partially located in the receptacle, such that the lower press punch specifies a maximum fill height of material to be compacted in the receptacle, • material to be compacted is filled into the receptacle, • the pressure units (36, 38) of the pressure apparatus are moved towards one another in such a way that an expected band height of a pellet to be produced during the compression test is achieved before the punch pair passes the location of the smallest distance between the pressure units (36, 38) during a rotation of the rotor, • the rotor is set into rotary movement, such that the punch pair comes into contact with the pressure units (36, 38) in order to compact the material filled into the receptacle into a pellet, wherein the pressing force and/or a parameter characterizing the pressing force is determined, characterized by the following step: • when a specified pressing force and/or a specified value of the parameter characterizing the pressing force has been achieved, the rotor is stopped and rotated in the opposite direction, such that the punch pair loses contact with the pressure units (36, 38). • a punch pair consisting of an upper and lower press punch (14, 16) and assigned to a receptacle of the die plate is brought into a dosing position, in which the upper press punch is moved upwards out of the receptacle and the lower press punch is partially located in the receptacle, such that the lower press punch specifies a maximum fill height of material to be compacted in the receptacle, • material to be compacted is filled into the receptacle, • the pressure units (36, 38) of the pressure apparatus are moved towards one another in such a way that an expected band height of a pellet to be produced during the compression test is achieved before the punch pair passes the location of the smallest distance between the pressure units (36, 38) during a rotation of the rotor, • the rotor is set into rotary movement, such that the punch pair comes into contact with the pressure units (36, 38) in order to compact the material filled into the receptacle into a pellet, wherein the pressing force and/or a parameter characterizing the pressing force is determined, • when a specified pressing force and/or a specified value of the parameter characterizing the pressing force has been achieved, the rotor is stopped and rotated in the opposite direction, such that the punch pair loses contact with the pressure units (36, 38).