Abstract: Mechanism for applying radially directed compression pressure onto pharmaceutical materials in a tableting die. There is provided mechanism for association with an otherwise standard tableting machine by which a radially directed pressure is applied to the tableting materials, usually powders, within a tableting die in order to minimize the tendency for capping or delaminating in the finished tablet. A relatively heavy housing is introduced as a component portion of the strain rod which otherwise extends uninterruptedly from the top to the bottom of the machine adjacent the rotating die table at the portion of the travel thereof occupied by the compression rollers. Separate strain rod components are connected from the top of the machine to the top of said housing and from the bottom of said housing to the bottom of the machine so that the strain of a normal compression operation axially of a die is caused to pass through said housing.