The production of flat preforms in the form of primary layers (e.g. biaxially oriented primary layers) or complete stacks brings a significant improvement. These can be deposited more easily and quickly and facilitate automation significantly. The flat preforms are then draped or shaped into the 3D geometry of the part. Due to changes in curvature, each layer in the laminate is subject to a different change in arc length. By introducing heat into the preform, interlaminar sliding between the layers in the forming process is promoted. Forming can then be initiated via vacuum and an elastic membrane. According to the current state of the art, the process step of heat input is carried out via hot air blowers or infrared radiators. This is precisely where the new development comes in, as these processes have very high energy consumption and long cycle times. In addition, there is a risk of overheating the preform. These disadvantages are eliminated by the newly developed hot forming process. In this process, heat is transferred by a heat-storing and heat-conducting fluid (water) via a membrane located directly on the preform. As a result, the heating time can be reduced by a factor of 3 compared to infrared radiation and by a factor of 11 compared to hot air blowers. Another positive effect of this novel hot forming process is the uniform temperature distribution over the entire semi-finished product surface (ΔT < 5 K) with simultaneous very simple process control. Partial temperature maxima, so-called hot spots, can thus be avoided and heating that is gentle on the material can be realized. With an efficiency of well over 85 %, this new technology offers numerous areas of application in the processing of thermoset semi-finished products into high-performance components.