A processing system employs a processing tool to process workpieces, for example cold working holes and/or installing expandable members into holes. Sensors sense various aspects of the processing. Information regarding performance of the process and/or materials may be stored, for example a hole-by-hole or a workpiece-by-workpiece basis, allowing validation of processing. Information also allows dynamic operation of the processing tool. Analysis of response relationships (e.g., pressure or force versus position or distance) may provide insights into the process and materials, and/or facilitate the real-time feedback including control, alerts, ordering replacement for consumable components.

A processing system employs a processing tool to process workpieces, for example cold working holes and/or installing expandable members into holes. Sensors sense various aspects of the processing. Information regarding performance of the process and/or materials may be stored, for example a hole-by-hole or a workpiece-by-workpiece basis, allowing validation of processing. Information also allows dynamic operation of the processing tool. Analysis of response relationships (e.g., pressure or force versus position or distance) may provide insights into the process and materials, and/or facilitate the real-time feedback including control, alerts, ordering replacement for consumable components.

Expanded metal sheets are used to produce tubular filters. The expanded metal sheet has a multiplicity of rows of openings arranged to reduce nesting when the sheet is rolled on itself. In particular, the pitch between the rows of openings, the sizes of the openings, or both the pitch between the rows of openings and the sizes of the openings are varied to reduce nesting when the expanded metal sheet is rolled on itself. The filters can include external circumferential grooves, rounded corners produced by a point loading process, textured surfaces between openings, and/or torturous internal paths produced by non-perforated areas of an expanded metal sheet. The expanded metal sheet can be composed of carbon steel coated with a material having a higher heat conductivity, e.g., tin. Among other things, the filters can be used in automobile airbag inflators to capture slag and absorb heat produced by the inflator's explosive charge.

Expanded metal sheets are used to produce tubular filters. The expanded metal sheet has a multiplicity of rows of openings arranged to reduce nesting when the sheet is rolled on itself. In particular, the pitch between the rows of openings, the sizes of the openings, or both the pitch between the rows of openings and the sizes of the openings are varied to reduce nesting when the expanded metal sheet is rolled on itself. The filters can include external circumferential grooves, rounded corners produced by a point loading process, textured surfaces between openings, and/or torturous internal paths produced by non-perforated areas of an expanded metal sheet. The expanded metal sheet can be composed of carbon steel coated with a material having a higher heat conductivity, e.g., tin. Among other things, the filters can be used in automobile airbag inflators to capture slag and absorb heat produced by the inflator's explosive charge.

A firelighter cage (10) comprising a first side member (12) including a first wall portion (18) formed from a rigid mesh defining a first cavity (22) and a second side member (14) including a second wall portion (19) formed from a rigid mesh defining a second cavity (23). Connectors (24) are provided on a first edge portion (20) of the first side members (12). When the first and second edge portions (20, 21) are aligned and engaged against each other, relative rotation of the first and second side members (12, 14) causes the connectors (24) to engage with a second edge portion (21) of the second side member (14) such that the first and second wall portions (18, 19) define a chamber (16) for receiving firelighters (11).

A unitary expanded metal mesh is provided having a down-roll direction, the mesh comprising: a) linear strands that are substantially parallel to the down-roll direction; and b) cross strands which meet the linear strands at nodes. Composites including the unitary expanded metal mesh of the present disclosure and a polymeric matrix are also provided. The unitary expanded metal mesh and composites may be provided as roll goods having, in some embodiments, uninterrupted linear down-roll metal strands for unlimited length. Methods of making the unitary expanded metal mesh of the present disclosure are provided.

A unitary expanded metal mesh is provided having a down-roll direction, the mesh comprising: a) linear strands that are substantially parallel to the down-roll direction; and b) cross strands which meet the linear strands at nodes. Composites including the unitary expanded metal mesh of the present disclosure and a polymeric matrix are also provided. The unitary expanded metal mesh and composites may be provided as roll goods having, in some embodiments, uninterrupted linear down-roll metal strands for unlimited length. Methods of making the unitary expanded metal mesh of the present disclosure are provided.

The present invention provides an integrated method for forming and performance control of NiAl alloy thin-walled tubular parts. A Ni/Al laminated foil tube is obtained after Ni foils and Al foils are alternately laminated and coiled; and the Ni/Al laminated foil tube is subjected to plastic forming, reaction synthesis and densification treatment in a gas bulging forming die to obtain a NiAl alloy thin-walled tubular part. The present invention solves the problem in the prior art that the preparation of an existing NiAl alloy sheet and the formation of the thin-walled tubular part from the sheet feature difficulty in material flow and structural performance control and a complicated process. Data of embodiments shows that the NiAl alloy thin-walled tubular parts obtained by using the method of the present invention has a high forming rate, high dimensional precision, uniform composition distribution, good tubular part compactness and no defects on the surface.

The present invention provides an integrated method for forming and performance control of NiAl alloy thin-walled tubular parts. A Ni/Al laminated foil tube is obtained after Ni foils and Al foils are alternately laminated and coiled; and the Ni/Al laminated foil tube is subjected to plastic forming, reaction synthesis and densification treatment in a gas bulging forming die to obtain a NiAl alloy thin-walled tubular part. The present invention solves the problem in the prior art that the preparation of an existing NiAl alloy sheet and the formation of the thin-walled tubular part from the sheet feature difficulty in material flow and structural performance control and a complicated process. Data of embodiments shows that the NiAl alloy thin-walled tubular parts obtained by using the method of the present invention has a high forming rate, high dimensional precision, uniform composition distribution, good tubular part compactness and no defects on the surface.

The method serves for expanding and formatting profiled metal strip material (1) to form a netting-like mat structure (2) of a predeterminable mesh width by a continuous drawing-open process. For this purpose, the strip material (1) is provided with notches (3), which extend in the longitudinal direction of the strip, are of a limited length and between them form metal strands (11), wherein, after the expanding and formatting, the unnotched regions form netting nodes (4) and initially the metal strands (11) are connected to one another by way of adjoining webs in the base of the notch. The webs have fatigue-fracture induced incipient tears formed by flexural deformation. The remaining web is then severed by a separating roll, so that the metal strands (11) are reliably separated from one another in the notch region and the strip material (1) can be drawn open to form the netting-like structure. The strip material (1) is first drawn open at the beginning of the strip to the intended mesh width in such a way that some rows of mesh are aligned orthogonally and oriented at right angles to the edge of the strip with respect to their mesh diagonal. The prepared beginning of the strip is placed with the meshes onto the spikes (5) of a spiked roll (5.1) of a pair of rolls (5), after which the pressure roll (5.2) of the pair of rolls (5) is infed towards the spiked roll (5.1) and with it forms a rolling gap. In this case, the arrangement of the spikes (6) is chosen such that every second meshin both orthogonal directionsis shaped by a spike (6), in that the spikes (6) of the spiked roll (5.1) enter the clearances (7) in the pressure roll (5.2).