Patent ID: 8071016

Claim:
A method of forming a powder metal compact having inner and outer cylindrical surfaces about an axis, comprising: placing the powder metal of the powder metal compact in an annular space of a compaction die tool set, the annular space having inner and outer cylindrical surfaces that form the inner and outer cylindrical surfaces of the powder metal compact, at least one of the inner and outer cylindrical surfaces of the space being defined at least in part by a compressible solid elastomeric tool of the compaction die tool set, the elastomeric tool having a first cylindrical surface adjacent to a fixed cylindrical surface of the compaction die tool set that is radially fixed and the elastomeric tool having a second cylindrical surface opposite to the first cylindrical surface, the second cylindrical surface touching the powder metal; and compressing the powder metal to form the powder metal compact in the space by applying an external axial force on the elastomeric tool while maintaining the diameter of the fixed cylindrical surface so as to cause the elastomeric tool to compress the second cylindrical surface of the elastomeric tool against the powder metal.