Abstract: There is described a stamping machine for the separation of shaped pieces, formed by cutting a sheet of material, from the remainder of the material. The machine incorporates a male die (13) with a plurality of projections corresponding to the shape of said shaped pieces. The male die comprises a plate of rigid synthetic foam material from which said projections extend. The projections are formed integrally with the plate. The die may be manufactured by machining material away from a plate of rigid synthetic foam material, eg using a routing machine operating under computer numerical control.