A disclosed process includes steps of heating a foamed material by irradiation with near infrared radiation having a wavelength between 0.78 and 1.40 μm to form a heated material, forming the heated material with a forming tool to obtain a formed material, and cooling the formed material and demolding to obtain a final workpiece. The foamed material may be constructed as a composite ply construction including an outer material and a foamed core between the outer material. The foamed material may contain a poly(meth)acrylimde, a polypropylene or a highly-crosslinked polyurethane.