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The current method of manufacturing products in the form of diffusers with variable cross-section is based on press forming two drawpieces of appropriate shape and then welding them. In effect, a detail joined in two places is created. This project undertakes to develop alternate diffuser shaping technology, which will make it possible to eliminate at least one of the welds joining two separate diffuser elements. This article presents the results of cold bending tests of tubes with heating via 3.6 kW diode laser, emitting an 8x30 mm laser beam. These tests laid the groundwork for guidelines for designing and building a testing station consisting of a manipulator and device controlling the rotation of the laser head. The station was designed so that the laser head can rotate relative to the axis of the shaped detail. Such a solution does not only allow for point heating of the shaped product, but also for heating over its circumference. This makes it possible to achieve uniform temperature distribution at the bending point of the shaped element, which directly increases its plasticity. Hot bending tests of both conical profiles and tubes were performed at the newly created station. Shaped elements, in the form of tubes, were filled with quartz sand, and in the case of profiles, a specially designed multisegment mandrel was applied as the filling. The results of performed technological trials are given in the second part of the article. In further work, it is planned to continue bending tests with laser heating of the shaped zone, for both round products (tube) and products with variable cross-section (diffuser). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]