Method for producing network-like metal mats and apparatus for carrying out the method

摘要

A method and apparatus for making mesh-like mats from metal strip (5) includes providing the strip material (5) with parallel grooves (2) by notch rolling to create metal wires. The grooves (2) are made sufficiently deep to prevent the creation of shear fractures. The grooves (2) are interrupted by un-grooved regions (7) which subsequently form mesh crossings or nodes (4). The grooved webs undergo repeated bending deformation about their longitudinal axis such that incipient cracks are formed in the grooved regions due to fatigue fracture which results in complete separation of the metal wires at the grooves. No incipient cracks are formed at the mesh crossings (4). The wire strip (5) is exposed to transverse tensile forces which act on two peripheral metal wires such that a transverse stretching deformation of the wire strip (5) is effected to create a mesh-like structure.