Patent ID: 7261141

Claim:
A process for producing a porous metal body, the process comprising: moving a first portion of a starting metal material through a heating area thereby melting said first portion without melting the entire starting material to produce a molten metal zone in the first portion of said starting material, wherein the heating area is under a gas atmosphere to dissolve a gas into the molten metal zone in the first portion; continuing to move the first portion out of the heating area and a second portion of the starting material is moved through the heating area; solidifying the molten metal zone in the first portion by cooling; melting said second portion without melting the entire starting material to produce a molten metal zone in the second portion of said starting material, wherein the heating area is under a gas atmosphere to dissolve a gas into the molten metal zone in the second portion; continuing to move the second portion out of the heating area; and solidifying the molten metal zone in the second portion by cooling.