Abstract: A method and an apparatus for forming details in a foil or plate material by means of superplastic forming, wherein the foil or plate material is heated over a selected localized area to a suitable temperature and simultaneously exposed to a fluid pressure so that the material is slowly deformed to a predetermined desired shape. Localized heating of the foil or plate is provided by guiding a laser beam (17) over the selected localized area of the foil or plate (12).

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for the manufacture of dimensionally precise pieces which are at least in part made of a sintered material. The material comprises a mixture of at least three pulverous constituents, of which the first is mainly of a metal of the iron group and coarse by its particle size, the second constituent contains copper and/or phosphorus, and the third constituent contains mainly copper. For the material, a powder mixture is made which contains the largest amount of the third constituent and substantially less of both the first and the second constituents. The powder mixture is fed into a cavity preferably a mold-cavity and is sintered without compression of the powder mixture, without pressure, in this cavity and at a temperature which is above the melting point of the said second constituent.