Patent ID: 7045092

Claim:
A method for pressing and compacting a rare-earth alloy powder by using a die, the die being made of a non-magnetic material and having a die hole and a pair of yoke members, the die hole defining a cavity, the yoke members being provided on right- and left-hand sides of the die hole, the method comprising the steps of: providing the rare-earth alloy powder; filling the cavity of the die with the rare-earth alloy powder; generating vibration in the rare-earth alloy powder; and compressing the rare-earth alloy powder, which has been loaded into the cavity, between a pair of press surfaces that are opposed to each other, wherein a pulse magnetic field, which is substantially perpendicular to a compressing direction, is not applied until the apparent density of the rare-earth alloy powder in the cavity reaches a predetermined value, which is at least equal to 47% of the true density thereof, while the compressing step is being carried out, and the step of generating vibration in the rare-earth alloy powder is performed while the compressing step is being carried out and before the pulse magnetic field starts to be applied.