This paper presents a study of a roll compaction process as a dry granulation method for typical food materials such as maize powder. This process is widely applied in industry as it can continuously produce large quantities of granular product at comparatively low cost. The objectives of this work were to predict the roll compaction performance from a simple measurement involving uniaxial die compaction using the classical Johanson model. This involved determination of the optimum operating conditions for the production of granules as evaluated by apparent density. In the current work, a smooth counter-rotating rolling mill with a roller diameter of 0.08 m and a roller width of 0.20 m was used. The operating conditions for the rolling mill are shown to be influenced by parameters such as the roll gap, the roll speed, the feed powder amount, and the friction ratio. Material properties such as the compressibility factor and the angle of wall friction were investigated using uniaxial die compaction. The angle of wall friction was analysed using both contact mechanical and continuum mechanical approaches. The results indicated that this simplified approach can be used to provide a quantitative prediction of the extent of the roll compaction performance, and can be used to design optimal roller geometries and operating conditions. (c) 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.