There is proposed a powder application device P for producing blanks of thermoplastically deformable semifinished products for use as reinforcement elements, starting from a powder mixture containing a meltable plastics powder, comprising a downwardly open powder container B and a perforated stencil L, arranged beneath the latter and spaced apart therefrom, having one or more hole cutouts, said device being characterized in that the powder container B is rigidly connected to the perforated stencil L and is vertically lowerable as far as an auxiliary support or a distance of at most 5 mm therefrom, and is closable at its lower end by means of a horizontal closing plate S having a thickness slightly less than the distance between the powder container B and the perforated stencil L, wherein the closing plate S is movable in a horizontal plane such that it alternately closes and reopens the lower end of the powder container B.