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Porosity is the most limiting factor in producing powder metal structural components with maximum strength, ductility and surface hardness.

Warm compaction involves applying lubricant to the powder grains as a film or coating so additional pores are not created during the compacting process. Through warm compaction, material properties – i.e., density levels, strength and ductility, as well as surface hardening – of a "green" component are enhanced.

With green strength significantly increased, machining of a component in its pre-sintered, or "green" state, is possible.

Green (or soft) machining can involve drilling, turning, milling, or grinding of a pre-sintered component. By employing this process, secondary operations such as sizing, tumbling, or machining can be omitted, and both process and storage time can be reduced.