Abstract: A honeycomb body, which is composed in such a manner that a strip of corrugated foil made of heat-resistant stainless steel containing aluminum and a strip of flat foil made of stainless steel are alternately wound or laminated on each other, is incorporated into an outer cylinder made of metal and integrated into one body by means of diffusion bonding, so that a diffusion bonded metallic catalyst carrier can be formed. Surface roughness of the strip of foil after the completion of diffusion bonding is 0.001 to 2.0 ?m when it is expressed by center line average height Ra, and no sintered bridges are formed at both end portions of the diffusion bonded section in the longitudinal direction. The catalyst carrier is manufactured in a condition so that ?b, which is defined by ?b=6.

Abstract: A honeycomb body, which is composed in such a manner that a strip of corrugated foil made of heat-resistant stainless steel containing aluminum and a strip of flat foil made of stainless steel are alternately wound or laminated on each other, is incorporated into an outer cylinder made of metal and integrated into one body by means of diffusion bonding, so that a diffusion bonded metallic catalyst carrier can be formed. Surface roughness of the strip of foil after the completion of diffusion bonding is 0.001 to 2.0 &mgr;m when it is expressed by center line average height Ra, and no sintered bridges are formed at both end portions of the diffusion bonded section in the longitudinal direction. The catalyst carrier is manufactured in a condition so that &lgr;b, which is defined by &lgr;b=6.

Abstract: In order to improve solid phase diffusion bondability at contact portions between a metal flat foil and a metal corrugated foil together constituting a metal honeycomb body for a catalyst converter used for purifying an exhaust gas and to improve engine durability, the present invention comprises one or combination of the following structures; a structure wherein at least one of the metal foils has a foil thickness of less than 40 &mgr;m; a structure wherein an Al content after bonding is at least 3%; a structure wherein the surface condition of both metal foils in a width-wise direction has a predetermined surface coarseness or a predetermined surface shape and condition; and a structure wherein the width of contact portions between both metal foils is at least five times the thickness of the metal foils.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for resistance welding in which, while both or one of the electrode center axes of a pair of opposing electrodes is inclined with respect to the electrode forcing axis, the electrode tip of the electrode is intermittently pivoted about the electrode center axis for welding. The contact between the electrode tip and workpiece is moved at a preset number of welds to define a next contact surface on the face of the electrode tip, and thus the number of welds (electrode tip life) is considerably improved.

Abstract: A method of igniting arcs wherein an electric field is formed in the vicinity of an electrode and ignition-plasma is projected against a cathode in the electric field, to thereby ignite an arc.