Patent ID: 8561880

Claim:
A method for forming metal shapes comprising: selecting a substrate capable of bending to a predetermined radius of curvature; forming a plurality of cavities in said substrate material; said plurality of cavities having a first shape including cavity walls, said cavities providing a change of shape from said first shape to a second shape upon bending said substrate to a predetermined radius of curvature; filling said plurality of cavities with molten metal; cooling said molten metal in said plurality of cavities to form a solid metal of a first shape in respective cavities of said plurality of cavities; heating said solid metal in said respective cavities in a flux or an atmosphere to reduce or substantially reduce any metal oxides on surfaces of said solid metal; reflowing said solid metal in said respective cavities; cooling said reflowed metal to form a solid metal of a second shape in said respective cavities; and bending said substrate to said predetermined radius of curvature to form said second shape of said plurality of cavities to cause a break in the contact of said solid metal of a second shape in said respective cavities from portions of said respective cavity walls whereby said solid metal of said second shape is released from said respective cavities.