The Dynamic Compaction of powdered materials becomes a particularly attractive technique for consolidating hard materials, because of the ease with which high pressures are achieved, and for metastable materials, because of the possibility of avoiding large-scale, high temperature excursions. The shock-wave conditions necessary for achieving high densities and interparticle bonding are evaluated experimentally. The bonding and melting taking place can be identified by post-consolidation studies, and the inter-relation between compact integrity and melting is shown. An attempt is made to develop a “process window” analogous to that of explosive bonding, to describe the conditions necessary for consolidation. Finally, in view of the necessity for localisation of plastic flow during consolidation, an indication of the influence of material deformation parameters is given.