Assembly for hot consolidating materials

An assembly for hot consolidating material (10) of metallic and nonmetallic compositions and combinations thereof to form a densified compact (10') of a predetermined density wherein a quantity of such material (10) which is less dense than the predetermined density is heated and disposed in a cavity in a pressure-transmitting medium (22, 24) to which external pressure is applied to the entire exterior of the medium (22, 24) to cause a predetermined densification of the material (10) by hydrostatic pressure applied by the medium (22, 24) in response to the medium being substantially fully dense and incompressible and capable of elastic flow at least just prior to the predetermined densification, characterized by a ram (16) of incompressible material, a pot die (14) made of incompressible material having a pot die cavity (26) therein with peripheral surfaces for receiving and sliding engagement with the exterior surfaces of said ram (16), the pressure-transmitting medium being elastomeric and being defined by first (22) and second (24) components, said first component (22) of said elastomeric medium being disposed within a cavity (26) in said pot die (14), said second component (24) of said elastomeric medium being acted upon by said ram (16), said ram (16) being movable into and out of said cavity (26) in said pot die (14) in close sliding engagement therewith, said first and second elastomeric components (22, 24) and said ram (16) and pot die (14) being configured so that said ram (16) enters said cavity (26) of said pot die (14) prior to said elastomeric components (22, 24) engaging one another, a formed thermal insulating barrier means (32, 34) for surrounding the material (10) and disposition within the cavity of the elastomeric medium (22, 24) to establish a thermal barrier between the material (10) and the elastomeric medium (22, 24) so that the material (10) may be heated prior to placing the thermal barrier means (32, 34) within the cavity defined by the first (22) and second (24) components of elastomeric medium and applying pressure to the medium (22, 24) to crumble the thermal barrier means (32, 34) surrounding the material (10) to limit heat transfer between the material (10) and the elastomeric medium (22, 24) whereby the first and second components (22, 24) of the elastomeric medium are successively opened and closed upon the opening and closing of the ram and pot die respectively in a press to successively form a plurality of densified compacts with a plurality of formed barrier means.