Forming of PM components through powder pressing is a process, which is influenced by the friction between the powder and the tool walls. For good performance of the pressing process it is of great interest to understand and estimate the effects of powder-wall friction. However, quantification of the friction coefficient between the powder and the tool is a delicate task. Local contact conditions, such as contact stress, must be measured or otherwise estimated in order to evaluate the coefficient of friction. Here, the friction coefficient is estimated by combining an experiment with modelling of the experiment. Two methods for assessment of friction are presented, an optimization approach using finite element analyses and an analytical approach. Experimental data are taken from the single action cold pressing of a cylinder shaped component.