Abstract: A process for the manufacture of compressed articles, particularly cemented-carbide cutting blade inserts, by compacting metallic powder and subsequently sintering the compact, particularly cemented-carbide reversible cutting blade inserts, which have a seating surface and at least one cutting edge extending approximately in parallel with the seating surface which is at a predetermined distance from the seating surface, by means of a press having a die-plate and a top ram and a bottom ram, comprising the steps of: Charging a predetermined volume of metallic powder into the die-plate bore with the bottom ram taking a predetermined charging position in the die-plate bore, Displacing the bottom ram and the top ram to predetermined first and second positions, Displacing the bottom ram and, if need be, the top ram more while simultaneously measuring the compressive force at least for the bottom ram with the shift of the bottom ram or top ram being effected along a predetermined curve desired for the compressive

Abstract: A method for determining the position of a punch with respect to a die in a powder press with the following steps: storing a reference measure in a computer corresponding to a predetermined relatively small distance of the punch to the upper edge or lower edge of the die, storing a reference offset in the computer by counting the pulses of an incremental path sensor actuated by the punch on raising the punch from the reference measure to an index pulse, measuring the position of the punch above the reference offset using an absolute path sensor which evaluates the path of the adjusting piston for the punch and whose readings are inputted into the computer, and inputting the pulses of the incremental path sensor into the computer as soon as the actual position of the punch is equal or smaller than the sum measure of the reference offset and the reference measure.