Abstract: A method, apparatus and article of manufacture is disclosed for using stand-up expanded metal armor members for protecting vehicles or other objects from ballistic threats. One or more spaced expanded metal member has projectile engaging faces which present sharp edges and arcuate surfaces to the small point of the projectile. When the point of the projectile engages the faces of the expanded metal members, the projectile is progressively deflected or shattered causing the wide arcuate side surface of the projectile to stop the projectile, or to pass through some or all of the members and engage the protected object with less than lethal force.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for routing a plurality of plates of predetermined size through at least one precision processing station for accurately and economically performing machining functions or the like on the plates. Aligned group of plates are presented to an input end of the apparatus by fork lift trucks and after processing the group of plates, the process plates are aligned, and removed from the apparatus by fork lift trucks or the like thereby greatly reducing labor costs and providing a more accurately machined product.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is disclosed for forming up-standing expanded metal from high carbon steels or high carbon alloy steels. The steel is induction heated to a hot forging temperature prior to being formed into expanded metal, and the expanded metal may thereafter be hardened to a hardness greater than that of the base metal from which it was made.