Process for manufacturing large area sheet metal parts, in particular a body component for a vehicle

This application claims the priority of German Patent Document 199 53 522.1, filed in Germany, Nov. 5, 1999, the disclosures of which is expressly incorporated by reference herein. A process for the manufacture of a large area sheet metal part, in particular a body component for a vehicle, from a flat blank, provides that one sided pressurization with an active medium in a forming tool gives the flat blank a prestretched preform, and that then the preform, removed from the forming tool, is formed into the final shape in a separate deep drawing tool.