Abstract: Friction elements, composed of fillers including at least five percent by weight of asbestos, bonded by a thermosetting resin, are first produced as pre-forms of final density by merely stamping the dry mixture in a die cavity. The problem of delamination is overcome by making provision for passages in one of the mold cavity members, said passages leading from the mold cavity to the ambient atmosphere. Sustained operation at high speed is made possible by screening the ends of the passages which open into the die cavity. The stamped article is removed from the die cavity and subjected to a time-temperature curing cycle to cure or thermally harden the bonding resin.