Abstract: In a building component or shuttering body (2) for the production of a wall structure including to oppositely located and substantially parallel, plate-shaped elements (6, 7) connected by at least two spacers (1), wherein the free space between the plate-shaped elements (6, 7) is fillable with an, in particular, settable mass, e.g. concrete, it is provided that it comprises at least two spacers (1) of polystyrene, in particular expandable polystyrene of elevated density, as well as plate-shaped elements (6, 7) of polystyrene, in particular expandable polystyrene, so as to enable the production of a building component (2) in a simple and cost-effective manner.

Abstract: A process of pre-foaming blowing agent-containing plastic materials, in which the plastic material particles which have been pre-foamed by the addition of heat are transferred without an intermediate resting stage from a sealed pre-foaming chamber into a drying and stabilizing chamber, with a vacuum being maintained during the drying and stabilizing operation.An apparatus for the performance of the process includes a pre-foaming chamber, beneath which there is provided a chamber in which the pre-foamed plastic material is dried and stabilized. The charging opening of the drying and stabilizing chamber is directly under the discharge opening of the pre-foaming chamber and is hermetically sealable by means of a slide valve.