Abstract: An improved process and heating arrangement for actuating and arresting a heat-forming machine for producing deep drawn containers made of thermoplastic foil band material. The foil band material is paid out in stepwise fashion from one or more storage rollers and is then processed along a process path along which there are arranged in downstream fashion: a heating arrangement, a molding arrangement, a filling arrangement, a stamping arrangement and a driving mechanism. Control circuit means are operatively connected to all of the afore-recited arrangements. The heating arrangements includes heating elements for heating the foil band material to the molding temperature. Screening plates are slidably mounted in the heating arrangement between the foil band material and the heating elements.