Abstract: Apparatus and a method is provided for high pressure, solid phase forming of an image bearing relatively thin sheet. Each sheet to be formed is moved to a pickup station, the sheet is picked up by a heated vacuum pickup, and then transferred to a preheat station while held by the heated vacuum pickup. The heated vacuum pickup is lowered at the preheat station to bring the sheet into engagement with preheater structure therebelow so that heat is applied by direct engagement to both sides of the sheet at the preheat station. The preheated sheet, still attached by vacuum to the heated vacuum pickup is then moved into a forming station of a floating bolster supported die set assembly while the pressure chamber die set unit and a forming die set unit of the die set assembly are in vertically spaced relationship.