How is woven metal mesh made?

07 Oct.,2024

 

How Is Wire Mesh Made? - Metal Supermarkets

What is Wire Mesh?

Wire mesh is a common type of metal screen consisting of parallel rows and intersecting columns of wire. Although similar in appearance and their applications, perforated metal sheet and expanded metal sheet are not types of wire mesh. Wire mesh comes in an almost limitless amount of shapes and sizes, and a large variety of materials and metal alloys.

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How is Wire Mesh Made?

The intersecting wires are typically joined together by welding or weaving &#; two of the more common forms of wire mesh. The solid wire used is usually made by progressively drawing down a metal in a series of round dies until the desired diameter has been achieved.

There are two common types of mesh:

  1. Welded Wire Mesh
  2. Woven Wire Mesh

Welded Wire Mesh

Welded wire mesh has intersecting rows and columns of parallel wires that are welded together at the intersection. Once the wire has been drawn down to the desired size, it is fed into a machine which welds the multiple rows of wire together at their intersection.

As the mesh is fed through the machine, a parallel line of welds is created simultaneously where the perpendicular lines meet. The next intersection of wires is then fed through the machine to be welded, and this process continues, joining each row of wires together. This machine typically welds the wires using electrical resistance as the source of heat. Although other welding methods could be employed, this is the usually most economical. Once the mesh has reached the desired length, it is cut by a shear, resulting in a sheet of flat and rigid welded wire mesh.

Woven Wire Mesh

Woven wire mesh has an array of intersecting wires, similar to a woven cloth. Typically, the wires are woven over and under the perpendicular wires producing a stable sheet. This pattern is known as a &#;Plain Weave Mesh&#;. For applications that require a more flexible sheet, a &#;Twill Weave&#; can be used.

This involves wire that is woven over 2 perpendicular wires, then under the next set of 2 perpendicular wires, and so on. Woven wire mesh has no welds on them. Instead, they are fed into a machine similar to a loom which feeds a straight wire through chosen weave pattern. The wires are then bent to the reverse position, and the next straight wire is fed through the pattern. The machine continues this process until the desired dimensions are reached and the completed wire mesh sheet is then cut to the desired size.

Applications

Welded wire mesh and woven wire mesh are used in many different fields. Several uses include:

  • Fences
  • Sifters
  • Grills
  • Machine and equipment safety barricades
  • Concrete reinforcement
  • Shelves
  • Cages

Woven Wire Mesh: Fundamentals and How Is It Made?

Wire mesh and wire cloth are highly versatile products made from a network of interlaced wires.

Wire cloth is generally flexible with a smooth cloth-like consistency. Most specifications use thinner wire diameters that create very small to small micronic openings. As a result, this material is a perfect medium for screening and filtration applications.

Wire mesh on the other hand incorporates larger openings and thicker wire diameters. These materials are ideal for cages, fencing, and ventilation covers.

By changing the opening size and wire diameter a variety of specifications are available to accommodate many applications, whether it&#;s a mesh panel for architectural installations or a heavy-duty wire mesh product for industrial purposes.

How Is a Woven Wire Mesh Made?

Woven wire mesh is a (often steel) metal mesh made using special weaving equipment, intricately weaving metal wires together to form a cohesive structure.

Typically, wire cloth utilizes a plain weave construction meaning the wires just pass over one another at each intersection.  

For mesh with larger openings and thicker diameters, there is an entire crimping process prior to configuring the weaving loom. This process pulls coiled wire from a rack into the crimping machine. The wire is first straightened and then crimped to a specific profile using a set of toothed wheels. The wire is then accurately cut to the desired length and width ready to be woven.

Depending on your requirements, these special weaving looms can construct various woven wire mesh specifications, incorporating metal wires of different materials and diameters.

Types of Materials Used to Make Woven Wire Mesh

Stainless steel wire mesh has many attributes, making it highly desirable for a number of applications.

Besides stainless steel, other materials are available to create woven wire mesh, including:

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  • Plain (Mild) Carbon steel
  • Galvanized steel
  • High Carbon steel
  • Aluminum
  • Copper
  • Brass
  • Bronze

The Three Fundamentals of Woven Wire Mesh

Individuals looking to get woven wire mesh must know the three fundamentals to get the right product for their needs, including wire mesh product specifications and metal varieties.

Mesh Count

You may hear terminologies such as 4 or 100 mesh count when shopping for wire cloth, which refers to the number of openings in an inch. 

Knowing the mesh count will help you get a solution that allows you to have control over what passes through the mesh. For example, if you&#;re working at an oil rig, you would need a mesh with 100 openings or more, depending on what you want to filter out.

Typically, for finer filtration, oil rigs use meshes with many small opening sizes to filter out sand and other impurities when pumping out oil from the ground. 

For heavy-duty wire mesh, this might be a measurement in fractions of an inch to determine the opening or mesh centers. This is ideal for aggregate sizing and sifting applications. 

Wire Diameters

Wire diameter is the thickness of each wire which determines the following: 

  1. The available space between the wires or the open area 
  2. The strength of the weave

If the wires are thicker, there will be a smaller open space, making the weave durable and more resistant to harsher conditions. However, thinner wires may allow for more open space but could result in more wear and tear depending on the application.

There are different specifications of wire meshes depending on the wire diameters. For example, working with coarse aggregates, you would likely want a thick wire diameter better suited to withstand material processing. However, a slightly thinner wire diameter would be ideal for as machine guard to protect the operator and equipment while allowing for ventilation.

Opening Size

The opening size is the distance between the wires.

Knowing the mesh count and opening size can help determine your required micron rating. For filtration, micron rating is crucial as it gives the user more control over the medium.

Types of Woven Wire Mesh

The following are some common types of woven wire mesh:

  • Plain crimp
  • Intercrimp
  • Lock crimp
  • Flat top crimp

Each type has its unique properties. For example, the lock crimp offers greater stability, while the flat top crimp features a smooth top allowing for a better flow of materials. Besides the types mentioned above, you can also find various architectural patterns for your creative installations.

Woven Wire Cloth Types

There are many woven wire cloth types you can choose from, including:

  • Plain Square Woven: A simple pattern with the same diameter shute and warp wires that go over and under each other.
  • Twill Square Woven: Each wire goes over and under two warp wires.
  • Plain Dutch Woven: A simple over-and-under pattern using thin wires to create a tight weave.
  • Dutch Twill Weave: It is similar to a Plain Dutch weave but uses even thinner wires to create a tighter weave.
  • Reverse Dutch Weave: Similar to Plain Dutch, except the wires here are reversed.
  • Stranded Weave: A bunch of small diameter wires go over and under each other.

Your Wire Mesh Experts

Trust Universal Wire Cloth for top-tier wire mesh products. With vast experience and unwavering quality assurance, we are your go-to experts for all metal mesh requirements. From product recommendations to tailored solutions and installation support, our dedicated team is ready to assist. Reach out to us now to explore our offerings and streamline your wire fabric projects.

In Summary

In conclusion, woven wire mesh, with its intricate weave and utilization of various raw materials, stands as a testament to human ingenuity in creating versatile materials to serve diverse industrial and creative needs. This article has shed light on the fundamentals of woven wire mesh, detailing its manufacturing process, materials used, and key considerations in selecting the appropriate mesh for specific applications, including stainless steel and aluminum wire mesh.

The distinction between wire cloth and wire mesh, underscores the tailored functionalities each offers, whether for screening and filtration purposes or structural applications like fencing and ventilation. Moreover, understanding mesh count, wire diameters, and opening sizes empowers users to make informed decisions aligning with their requirements, whether for fine filtration in oil rigs or robust protection in industrial settings.

Furthermore, the exploration of different types of woven wire mesh, from plain crimp to lock crimp, reveals the rich diversity of options available, each with its unique properties suited to various demands. Likewise, the array of woven wire cloth types, such as plain square woven and Dutch twill weave, showcases the breadth of creative possibilities and functional adaptations achievable with this versatile material. 

In essence, woven wire mesh epitomizes versatility and ingenuity, offering a blend of functionality, durability, and aesthetic appeal across industries ranging from industrial to architectural. As technology advances and demands evolve, woven wire mesh continues to adapt, remaining an indispensable tool in the arsenal of engineers, designers, and artisans worldwide.

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