Abstract: An apparatus according to the invention comprises a needle roll (1) and a perforated roll (2), between which a sheet-like structure (3) can be perforated and deformed. The needle roll (1) has a large number of needles (11), while the perforated roll (2) is provided with a large number of holes (21) to accommodate needles (11) of the needle roll (1). The needle roll (1) and the perforated roll (2) are formed and arranged such that during the perforating and deforming operations, each needle (11) in the perforating and deforming area penetrates into a hole (21) in the perforated roll (2). In this way, the sheet-like structure (3) located between them is not only perforated, but the edges of the holes in the sheet-like structure (3) are also shaped three-dimensionally in a controlled way between the needles (11) and the edges of the holes in the perforated roll (2).