This article provides a detailed look at wire cloth.
You will learn:
Wire cloth, a fabric composed of woven or knitted metal wires, plays a crucial role in industrial applications like filtration, sieving, and serving as a barrier to regulate substance flow.
With its wide range of mesh sizes and wire thicknesses, wire cloth is adaptable for diverse purposes. It is extensively used for filtering solids from liquids or gases, safeguarding machinery and equipment, and sorting materials based on particle size. Crafted from various metals such as stainless steel, brass, copper, or other alloys, wire cloth is tailored to meet specific application demands.
Depending on the context and intended use, these terms are used interchangeably when discussing wire cloth.
This term is often used for wire cloth, describing a fabric made from woven or welded metallic wires.
Commonly referred to as wire screen, wire cloth is extensively used as a screen or sieve in a variety of industrial settings.
The term "wire fabric" highlights the textile-like characteristics of wire cloth, which is produced by weaving or welding wires.
This term is often employed for wire cloth used in fencing or animal containment, emphasizing its net-like structure.
Wire cloth, frequently known as a wire grille, finds common use in architectural and decorative settings, including grilles for doors and windows.
Wire mesh, also referred to as wire cloth or wire fabric, is produced using a range of high-performance base materials specifically selected for their mechanical, electrical, and chemical properties. Manufacturers and engineers utilize specific wire cloth materials based on end-use requirements such as filtration, separation, reinforcement, electromagnetic shielding, corrosion resistance, and structural strength. The optimal choice of wire mesh material supports various applications, from industrial sieves to architectural facades, promoting efficiency, safety, and product longevity.
Metal and alloy wires are produced through a wire drawing process, a foundational wire manufacturing method for metal mesh. In this process, a metal rod or larger wire is drawn through a series of progressively smaller dies to decrease its diameter and create a finer wire, ensuring tight dimensional tolerances vital for precision mesh screens.
Although the process resembles metal extrusion, in wire drawing, the metal is pulled rather than pushed, minimizing excessive reduction in area or diameter. Excessive reductions can cause the wire to yield, impacting mesh integrity. Typically, industrial wire drawing achieves area reductions between 15% and 45%. Wire drawing imparts significant cold work and strain hardening, essential for increasing tensile strength. This allows high carbon steel wire to achieve extremely high strengths of up to 580 Ksi (4000 MPa), making it essential for heavy-duty wire mesh panels, security screens, and high-strength reinforcing mesh.
Metal wire for wire cloth is commonly round in cross-section, but through specialized metal forming, it can be manufactured in a variety of profiles. After drawing, wire can be rolled with smooth rollers to create flat wire with rounded edges, increasing surface contact in woven mesh. Using contoured rollers, wire can be produced in square, rectangular, oval, hexagonal, or triangular cross-sections—expanding design options for custom mesh requirements and providing solutions for architectural wire mesh or filtration applications that call for tailored pore shapes.
Metal sheets and foils form the foundation for expanded metal mesh and perforated sheet products. Metal sheets are produced by cold rolling, where an alloy is pressed between steel rolls to thin and shape the metal. While hot rolling can achieve annealing or recrystallization during the reduction process, it typically results in a coarser finish and looser tolerance than cold-rolled operations, which offer precise thickness control for fine mesh screens and filtration media. Depending on the alloy and desired thickness, intermediate annealing may be necessary to maintain ductility for further processing.
Metal sheets and foils can be slit into narrow ribbons or flat wire shapes, broadening material choices for woven and welded wire mesh. Sheets may also be perforated in custom hole patterns or expanded to produce nonwoven metal fabrics, ideal for high-flow screens, enclosures, lighting diffusers, and anti-climb security mesh.
Metal or metallic fibers are manufactured from pure metals or alloyed compositions, including metal-coated plastic fibers and plastic-coated metals. These fibers are extremely fine, making them suitable for applications requiring ultra-fine filtration, conductive mesh, or electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding.
Metallic fibers are much finer than most drawn metal wires, typically spanning diameters from 1 to 100 microns (0.00004 to 0.004 inches). For comparison, American Wire Gauge (AWG) sizes range from 40 to 0000 gauge (0.0031 to 0.46 inches), with metallic fibers significantly finer than standard wire gauges used in typical woven mesh.
Production methods for metallic fibers include:
Thousands of wires are packed into a tube and simultaneously drawn through a die for consistent fiber size. The tube is then removed by acid etching, leaving precisely structured, octagonal cross-section metallic fibers with diameters as small as 200 nanometers—ideal for gas filtration, ultra-fine sieving, and microelectronic mesh screens.
Foil shaving creates fibers as fine as 14 microns from thin metal foils. Steel wool is produced by cutting wire during the shaving stage, with resultant fibers featuring a triangular cross-section. This unique geometry enhances cutting, scouring, and cleaning efficiency, which are important for abrasive mesh pads and surface preparation tools.
Precision machining processes slice fine metallic fibers down to 10 microns. Machined fibers offer stability and uniformity for use in advanced mesh technologies, high-strength fiber composites, and precision filter media.
Molten metal is poured onto a cooled, spinning copper roll, rapidly producing fibers ranging from 40 to 250 microns. This method controls fiber diameter and cooling rate, supporting the development of mesh for high-temperature or thermally conductive applications.
Carbon or polymer fibers are coated with metal to blend mechanical and functional properties. Techniques include electrodeposition, electroplating, and advanced thin film methods (e.g., PVD or evaporation), producing hybrid fibers for specialty wire mesh, EMI shielding mesh, and composite reinforcement grids.
In many industrial applications, single-strand wire (monofilament) is used to weave or weld wire cloth materials, offering consistency for mesh opening sizes and strength. Wires may also be twisted together to form strands or multi-wire bundles—a process fundamental to producing flexible wire rope mesh and cabled mesh fencing. These configurations are frequently used as structural mesh in bridges, railings, and balustrades where both strength and flexibility are required.
Strands are also intertwined to create wire rope, an essential structural element for suspension bridges and heavy-duty lifting systems. In architectural design, wire mesh created from strands or monofilaments delivers both reinforcement and aesthetic appeal for sunscreens, cladding, and security mesh. Metallic fibers can be directly woven into metal cloth or twisted into highly flexible metallic yarns, enabling the production of metal fabrics with extremely fine weave and exceptional filtration performance. These metallic textiles are crucial for precise filtration of sub-micron particles, electromagnetic shielding, high-temperature insulation, composite reinforcement, and conductive textiles used in electronics, fuel cells, fire protection, aerospace, and more. The versatility of these forms makes wire cloth an integral solution in numerous advanced industries.
Blends or hybrid weaves combine metal wire or metal fiber with non-metallic fibers, yarns, strands, or monofilaments to form innovative wire mesh with unique, application-specific properties. These technical weaves are preferred for industrial, filtration, protective, and composite reinforcement applications where the limitations of either metal or polymer alone would compromise performance. Non-metallic constituents can include natural fibers like cotton and silk, as well as high-performance fibers such as glass, ceramic, carbon, polyamide (nylon), polyester, PTFE, and polyetheretherketone (PEEK). Hybrid wire cloth materials benefit from enhanced flexibility, heat resistance, conductivity, or chemical inertness. As a result, hybrid mesh is utilized in filtration membranes, battery separators, aerospace insulation, sports equipment, and architectural textiles requiring advanced material performance.
Aluminum is among the lightest structural metals, with a density 35% lower than steel. Its high ductility and excellent workability make it an ideal choice for intricate mesh patterns and architectural wire mesh panels. Aluminum offers superior corrosion resistance, especially when anodized, compared to standard steel, though it is still surpassed by stainless steel for critical corrosion environments. Due to its softness and lower abrasion resistance, aluminum wire mesh is best suited for applications where moderate durability suffices, such as air and light diffusion panels, insect screens, decorative mesh, and lightweight protective barriers. Although prized for aerospace and architectural uses, pure aluminum mesh is generally unsuitable for fine filtration of powders or heavy solids due to its lack of rigidity.
Copper boasts unrivaled electrical and thermal conductivity, surpassed only by silver among pure metals. This property makes copper mesh the material of choice for EMI shielding, electrical grounding, and conductive braids. However, copper’s softness and lower tensile strength can restrict its use in abrasive filtration or high-tension screens.
Possessing innate antimicrobial and anti-fouling qualities, copper mesh is increasingly valued in building HVAC, hospital, and food processing environments where bacteria, mold, and biofilm pose risks. Copper wire mesh screens resist fouling in seawater, deterring barnacle and marine growth, making them ideal for marine, aquaculture, and seawater intake filtration applications. In landscaping and civil engineering, copper root barrier screens are deployed to protect infrastructure by halting invasive tree roots.
Copper’s ability to develop an attractive patina further enhances its use in decorative architectural mesh, designer screens, and high-end product designs. It is also utilized in specialty wire mesh for RFI (Radio Frequency Interference) shielding and grounding grid applications within sensitive electronic systems.
Brass is an alloy of copper and zinc, with zinc enhancing the mechanical strength of copper. Brass mesh features improved workability—making it easier to cast, machine, and fabricate. Its resistance to corrosion and attractive appearance positions brass wire cloth as a popular choice for decorative mesh panels, architectural grilles, and certain precision sieves. With variations like high and low brass based on zinc content, manufacturers can tailor mesh performance for acoustic panels, art installations, and filtration needs in non-aggressive environments.
Bronze, composed primarily of copper and tin (with additions like silicon, aluminum, lead, chromium, or zirconium), is valued for its strength, corrosion resistance, and machinability. Fine bronze wire mesh is often used in papermaking (e.g., Fourdrinier wire mesh screens), marine filtration, and in applications requiring mesh with extended fatigue resistance and durability. Phosphor bronze, a blend of copper, tin, and a small amount of phosphorus, is especially suitable for fine mesh weaving due to its increased hardness and resilience, making it ideal for precision mesh filters and corrosion-resistant screening devices.
Bronze mesh may be patinated for visual impact, underlining its popularity for designer mesh elements and high-end architectural projects.
Galvanized steel wire mesh features a zinc coating achieved via electrogalvanization or hot-dip galvanization. This barrier enhances mesh durability by protecting against rust and oxidation, making galvanized mesh a cost-effective solution for fencing, animal enclosures, construction mesh, and outdoor barriers. The hot-dip method produces a thicker zinc coating, providing exceptional weathering and corrosion performance for demanding environments—such as agricultural screens and infrastructural reinforcement mesh. Note that welded wire mesh is typically galvanized after welding, as the weld process will otherwise compromise zinc protection, creating weak points susceptible to corrosion.
Welded wire mesh is generally galvanized after welding to ensure comprehensive corrosion resistance and compliance with industrial safety standards.
Nickel and nickel alloys deliver superior high-temperature strength, thermal stability, and corrosion resistance, outperforming other metals in harsh chemical, acidic, or oxidizing environments. This makes nickel alloy mesh highly sought after for chemical processing, filtration of corrosive agents, and aerospace applications exposed to extreme service conditions. Leading nickel-based alloys like InconelⓇ and HastelloyⓇ are engineered for service in aggressive environments. Monel—an alloy of copper and nickel—excels in marine, offshore oil, and food processing mesh applications due to its outstanding corrosion resistance, antimicrobial properties, and mechanical stability under stress.
Stainless steel is an iron alloy containing at least 10.5% chromium, which quickly forms a passive chromium oxide barrier, protecting against corrosion and oxidation. Leading grades include 304L (18-8), 316L, and 347, each delivering specific benefits such as enhanced marine corrosion resistance (316L) or weld stability (347). Stainless steel mesh is widely used for industrial filtration, sieving, particle separation, and architectural wire mesh, benefiting from its chemical inertness, strength, ease of cleaning, and aesthetic appeal. Stainless steel mesh is applicable in food processing, pharmaceuticals, water treatment, architectural screening, and more.
Low carbon steel is malleable, easy to work with, and forms the basis for affordable welded wire mesh and structural reinforcement mesh. High carbon and alloy steels enable the production of extremely strong wire mesh for heavy machinery guards, crushing screens, security barriers, and conveyor belt mesh. High tensile wire mesh is particularly valued in the mining, aggregate, and construction industries for its ability to withstand abrasive materials and mechanical shock.
Titanium and its alloys offer an ideal combination of light weight, high strength, and outstanding resistance to corrosion in challenging chemical and marine environments. With a density just 60% that of steel and unparalleled fatigue strength, titanium mesh is the premier solution for aerospace, offshore, chemical processing, and medical implant applications. Its biocompatibility surpasses stainless steel, making woven titanium mesh the optimal choice for surgical mesh, bone graft scaffolds, and implantable medical devices.
Titanium excels in filtration and support mesh for seawater environments, hypochlorite production, nitric acid processing, and situations where high purity, sterility, and extended lifecycle are mission-critical.
Wire cloth, also known as wire mesh or woven wire fabric, is a versatile industrial product. Its unique combination of strength, flexibility, and customizable mesh sizes gives it broad utility across diverse industries. Below are some of the most common applications and industries that benefit from using different types of wire cloth:
With its extensive selection of weave types, metals, mesh sizes, and finishes, industrial wire cloth addresses the demands of clients seeking performance, reliability, and durability. Whether for fine particle retention in pharmaceutical processing, robust material handling in mining operations, or architectural accents in modern buildings, custom wire mesh solutions are engineered to fit a wide range of technical requirements.
When choosing a wire cloth supplier, consider factors such as mesh material, weave style, opening size, and compliance with industry standards (such as ASTM, ISO, or FDA). Leading wire cloth manufacturers offer engineering support, custom fabrication, and quality assurance to ensure you receive a product optimized for your application. Assessing these criteria is essential to maximize operational efficiency, product safety, and long-term value in your process or project.
The two major construction types of wire cloth, metal cloth, and wire mesh are:
Woven metal cloth is created by interlacing two or more sets of wire, usually at right angles. The warp wires or yarns run parallel to the length of the cloth, while the perpendicular or crosswise wires, known as weft, fill the gaps between the warp wires. When metal fiber yarn is used instead of traditional wires, the resulting metal cloth features a fiber-like texture and a higher fiber density, closely resembling conventional synthetic fiber cloth. In contrast, woven wire mesh presents a coarser, more open appearance.
Nonwoven wire cloth is produced through various methods, including knitting, stitch bonding, welding, expanding (via punching and stretching), perforating, electroforming, chemical milling, photochemical etching, and laying metallic fibers into a felt mat.
Welded wire cloth, also known as welded wire mesh, is a type of nonwoven metal mesh where wires are joined by welding. In this mesh, one set of wires runs either perpendicular or at an angle to another set. The welds are created at the intersections where the wires cross. Compared to woven wire cloth, welded wire mesh offers greater strength and durability. A particle or object can push through a woven screen by shifting the wires apart. However, with welded wire cloth, the openings cannot be expanded without breaking the welds. This makes welded wire cloth ideal for applications involving high pressure or conditions that could damage a woven mesh.
Metal wires and fibers can be joined using solid-state welding or diffusion bonding techniques. Initially, the wire is woven, knitted, braided, or arranged into a nonwoven batt. This metal mesh or fabric is then placed into a furnace with a controlled atmosphere to prevent oxidation during sintering. During the sintering process, surface energy facilitates diffusion, leading to the rearrangement of metal atoms.
In braided metal or wire cloth, strands, yarns, or wires are interwoven in an alternating zigzag pattern. The three-strand braid is particularly common and is often used to create ropes. Various complex braid patterns are employed in industrial applications. Compared to woven fabric, braided cloth offers greater flexibility and stretchability.
After braiding, metal strands are frequently flattened or calendered. Braiding is employed to create metal ropes, cords, flexible conductive straps, and protective sleeving.
Protective sleeving is commonly woven into a tubular form. Braided metal fiber sleeving, in particular, is utilized as an outer layer for hoses, data cables, and electrical cables. It offers critical protection by providing cut resistance, abrasion resistance, and shielding against electromagnetic interference (EMI) and radio frequency interference (RFI).
Braided copper conductors, or copper braids, are utilized to link conductive electrical power components in scenarios where movement occurs between the conducting parts. This type of copper can withstand repeated flexing without becoming work-hardened or breaking. Additionally, braided copper is commonly used for flexible grounding straps, offering durability and flexibility for various applications.
Knitted metal cloth is made by interlacing loops of wire or yarn to create its structure. This method gives the cloth greater flexibility and stretch compared to woven fabrics, as the loops can slide against each other. The main types of knitting processes used in creating such fabrics include warp knitting, weft knitting, and stitch bonding.
Stitch bonding is employed to create high-strength industrial textiles and composite reinforcements used in aircraft and wind turbine applications. This process involves joining or stitching together multiple fabric layers with a knitting thread, resulting in stitch-bonded fabrics that offer enhanced durability and performance.
Metal wires or fibers can be arranged to create a nonwoven metal fiber batt or mat. Since the fibers are not bonded together, nonwoven metal fiber mats are commonly stabilized using needle punching. In this process, a barbed or forked needle repeatedly penetrates the nonwoven metal fiber web and then withdraws, causing mechanical entanglement. Needle plates, equipped with over 100 needles per inch, punch the fiber batts at a rate of 2,000 strokes per minute.
The metal cloth products mentioned above begin with metal wire or metallic fibers that are woven or processed into a mesh or fabric. Expanded metal, perforated metal, and chemically milled mesh all start with sheet metal as their raw material.
Expanded metal is produced by cutting small slits into a metal sheet and then stretching the material to create openings. This process typically results in diamond-shaped openings in the metal. One of the advantages of expanded metal is that it generates minimal to no scrap during manufacturing.
Perforated metal is created by punching holes into metal sheets using a steel or carbide punch and die set on a high-speed punch press. This method, known as punching and blanking, is a cost-effective way to quickly produce holes in metal sheets and plates. The punched-out material, known as the plug, is considered waste or scrap. Compared to expanded metal, woven wire mesh, and welded wire cloth, perforated sheet metal has a thinner profile, offering a more streamlined appearance.
Chemical milling and electroforming are ideal for creating extremely fine mesh or products with very small hole sizes.
When the wire diameter of wire cloth or the hole size of perforated metal becomes too small, manufacturing these products through weaving and punching becomes challenging. Extremely fine wires and punches are prone to breaking easily during production.
Chemically milled mesh is created by applying a masking material to sheet metal. This masking can be selectively applied using screen printing or photolithography techniques. Areas not covered by the masking material are then etched away or removed using an acid bath. Chemical milling allows for the creation of intricate patterns, including holes, slots, star-shaped openings, and various perforations.
Electroformed mesh is produced through the electrochemical deposition of mesh material onto a conductive pattern, mold, or mandrel. Once the deposition is complete, the pattern or mold is removed using methods such as melting, etching, or chemical dissolution. This process allows for the creation of mesh openings as small as 5 microns.
Electroforming utilizes distinct raw materials and chemicals for electro deposition or electroplating, setting it apart from other metal mesh or cloth products. The process involves ionic aqueous solutions or dissolved salts from the metal being deposited, which are essential for the electroplating process.
Electroforming achieves greater detail in metal patterns compared to chemical milling, etching, stamping, or machining. This method provides exceptional edge precision, with edges nearly free of burrs and typically exhibiting a variance of less than 0.5 microns.
Molds or patterns are frequently created using photolithography techniques. Because electroformed parts utilize a reproducible mold or pattern, they can consistently replicate highly detailed and complex mesh patterns. Electroforming enables the production of intricate shapes that are difficult or impossible to achieve with other manufacturing methods.
Woven wire cloth is available in a range of standard weaves, with many metal cloth manufacturers offering proprietary designs as well. Additionally, custom weaves can be created to fulfill the specific requirements of both demanding industrial applications and architectural projects with unique aesthetic needs.
The four most common wire cloth weaves are:
In plain weave or square weave, parallel warp wires alternate between running under and over the cross, fill, or shute wires. This interlacing pattern creates a basic and widely used type of wire cloth weave.
Dutch weave, also known as plain Dutch weave, resembles the plain weave pattern but features a notable difference: the warp wires have a significantly larger diameter than the weft or cross wires. Additionally, the weft wires are tightly packed together. This combination results in a dense, high-quality material that excels in filtration applications.
Twill weaves feature a pattern where two adjacent warp wires pass under the fill or weft wires, followed by two adjacent weft wires passing under the warp wires. This pattern allows twill weaves to handle larger wire diameters while maintaining a specific mesh size. Compared to plain weaves with the same wire diameter, twill weaves offer greater flexibility.
Dutch twill weaves integrate both twill and Dutch weave patterns.
Here are a few of the less common weaves:
Broad and oblong weaves feature rectangular openings. They are often referred to as off-count mesh due to the uneven mesh count in the parallel warp and crosswise shute directions. Broad weaves have a lower number of warp wires, while oblong weaves have fewer shute or weft wires.
Optimized weaves enhance filtration efficiency by increasing the number of warp or weft wires until they make contact. This results in smaller apertures and improved flow rates.
Reversed Dutch twill weaves and reversed plain Dutch weaves are types of reversed weaves. Reversed plain Dutch weaves feature a higher number of warp wires and fewer shute or weft wires. These weaves offer greater strength, making them suitable for demanding applications where backwashing, filter cake removal, and cleaning processes exert mechanical stress on the wire weave.
Stranded weave consists of multiple strands of wire for each warp and shute wire. Its surface resembles the appearance of Parkay wood flooring.
5-heddle weaves, also known as 5-shed twill weaves, feature warp wires that pass over four shute wires and under one shute wire. These weaves have a smooth surface on one side, which makes it easier to remove filter cakes from the smooth surface of 5-heddle weaves.
3D and volumetric weaves employ specialized proprietary weaving technology to create a mesh with a three-dimensional structure. These weaves offer significantly higher volume porosity compared to conventional media of the same wire diameter, making them ideal for filtration applications. Additionally, they can help reduce pressure loss in filtering processes.
Multi-layer wire mesh laminates consist of several mesh layers bonded together using methods such as sewing, welding, sintering, fastening, or adhesive bonding. A finer mesh cloth can be attached to the top of a larger diameter wire mesh screen. The larger screen provides support for the finer mesh during filtration processes, preventing it from bowing or breaking.
Ribbon weaves, or cable weaves, involve warp metal ribbons or flattened wires interwoven with round shute or weft wires. These weaves are particularly effective for facade and wall cladding applications where security, privacy, light diffusion, and protection from wind and sunlight are required.
Cable mesh consists of stranded wire woven into a square or diamond pattern. The intersection points can be secured using ferrules, cross clips, bolts, interweaving, or welding.
Spiral weaves are created using wires that are crimped or formed into a spiral shape. The V-shaped wires are threaded or woven in a spiral pattern, interlocking with each other. This technique is commonly used for manufacturing endless process belts and chain link fencing. Spiral woven belts can feature interconnected spiral wires along with additional "shute" rods. Hexagonal wire netting, or "poultry netting," is also produced through a spiral winding process, where wires are twisted at intervals, shifted forward, and then twisted in the opposite direction. Additionally, spiral weaves are employed in architectural applications for light diffusion and decorative facades.
Specialized weaves are created by combining two standard weave patterns.
A wide range of proprietary and custom weave and woven metal cloth types can be developed by varying the weaving patterns, wire sizes, wire shapes, and wire materials.
Woven wire cloth can utilize either crimped or non-crimped wire. The crimping process introduces bends, undulations, or kinks into the wires, which helps interlock the parallel and crosswise wires. Crimped wire features a wave-like or sawtooth profile. Typically, the crimping is done prior to the weaving process.
Crimping reduces wire movement, ensuring more consistent and accurate openings. A sharp point or awl can penetrate non-crimped wire mesh more easily than crimped mesh.
Various crimping methods can be employed, including:
Without crimping or pre-crimping, the wires remain free to move. This results in wire cloth that may offer greater flexibility or adaptability compared to crimped or welded mesh.
Pre-crimped wire is typically used for coarser diameter or gauge wire cloth. This type of mesh is more rigid compared to non-crimped mesh.
Lock crimp features a precise crimp shape that securely "locks" the wires at their intersection points, holding them tightly in place.
Intercrimp, intermediate crimp, or multiple crimp wire cloth features more frequent crimps, with wire intersections occurring at every 3rd, 5th, 7th, etc., crimp. This type of mesh has additional bends or corrugations between intersections. Intercrimping enhances rigidity and accuracy, particularly when weaving large opening wire mesh with fine wire gauges.
Flat top mesh utilizes downward crimps or corrugations that alternate between the warp and shute wires, resulting in a flatter surface with fewer undulations.
The most common characteristics used to specify metal cloth or wire mesh include metal alloy types, mesh count, wire diameter, percent open area, and weave type.
The significance of specific specifications varies depending on the intended industrial application. For example:
The diameter of round wire or the width of flat wire or ribbon is a crucial specification for wire cloth. Although some manufacturers may use "wire gauge" to indicate wire size, this can be confusing due to the variety of gauge systems available. To avoid confusion, wire diameter should be specified using a precise numerical value in inches or microns.
Mesh size, wire count, or mesh count refers to the number of wires per unit length, typically measured in linear inches, and is determined from the center of one wire to the center of the next. For wire mesh cloth with large openings, the specification is based on the distance between adjacent wires, such as 1-inch mesh, 2-inch mesh, or ⅝-inch mesh.
The percent open area of wire mesh cloth is determined from the width or dimension (W1) of the openings between adjacent parallel wires. For mesh with square openings, the opening area is calculated as W1 × W1. For meshes with rectangular openings, the area is calculated using W1 × W2.
The percent open area is calculated by dividing open area by the total area of the wire cloth. In summary:
The opening size of wire cloth, mesh, or screen refers to the dimension between two adjacent wires, measured from edge to edge. This differs from mesh size, which is measured from the center of one wire to the center of the next. Wire cloth openings range from 20 microns to 5 inches. Electroformed mesh can have standard catalog openings as small as 5 microns. For finer mesh, sieves, screens, and wire cloth, the opening size is specified in microns.
The shape of the openings is an important specification for decorative and architectural applications. It can also be a key factor in applications where wire cloth screens are used to produce elongated particles in powders or granular materials. Opening shapes include:
How is mesh size utilized in industry?
Wire cloth can be categorized into two primary application fields:
Architectural applications encompass:
Industrial applications include:
When choosing a supplier for wire cloth, it's important to consider their secondary processing capabilities. Wire cloth requires different forming and fabricating techniques compared to sheet metal. If your application involves fabricating components from wire cloth, selecting a vendor with expertise in processing, treating, cutting, forming, and joining wire cloth would be advantageous.
Value-added processes that can be applied after weaving or welding include:
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