METHOD OF MAKING CYLINDRICAL CERAMIC TUBES WITH LOCALIZED IMPRESSIONS, AND APPARATUS FOR CARRYING OUT THIS METHOD

A method of making imprints on the walls of portions of a tube obtained by the continuous molding of a ceramics-based paste and the cutting up of the tube, wherein immediately after the tube portions have been molded and are still deformable, they are placed on means parallel with the axis of the tube portions for rotating them around their axes of revolution, means are applied to the rotary means for exerting a pressure on at least a portion of the tubes so that such portions are clamped between the rotary means and the pressure-exerting means, the pressure-exerting means or the rotary means are provided with at least one imprint-making tool, the or each tool having a main direction which does not coincide with the direction of the axes of revolution of the tube portions, and means are applied to create a second relative movement between the tube portion and the or each tool, so that there is substantially no sliding between the tube portion and the or each tool. The tubes are useful in gas diffusion processes.