Drain Grates
Drain grates are an essential component of drainage systems that allow the passage of fluids through a pipe or drain while capturing debris that may clog or otherwise damage piping. Grates are a framework of metal or fiber-reinforced plastic bars, sheets, and meshes that create a porous grid. Also known as drain strainers, filters, and screens, these particular grates are used in a variety of industrial, commercial, and residential applications.
Quick links to Drain Grates Information
Applications of Drain Grates
Drain grates are commonly used in these applications:
- Shower Facilities
- Waste Management
- Water Treatment
- Steam and Boiler
- Car Parks
- Tree Grates
- Sewer Manhole Covers
- City Streets
- Refrigeration
- Factories
- Warehouses
- Home Plumbing Systems
Drain Grate Design and Customization
While a drain works to capture and remove fluids, the grate itself works to remove debris from that fluid, capturing it so it may later be discarded. Some drain grates are permanent fixtures set in concrete or durable surfaces, while others are set in place at the inlet of an irrigation or processing system. Grates may also be used at the exhaust of a drain in order to prevent blockage there or environmental contamination. Trench, channel, gully and automatic condensate drain grates list just a few of the many options for floor gratings that can be tailored to specific drainage applications.
Materials Used in Manufacturing Drain Grates
As drain grates must withstand the passage of diverse materials ranging from toxic waste to far less corrosive tap water, there are a variety of materials that may be used in the manufacturing of drain grates and other drain components. Metals such as cast iron, stainless steel, ductile iron, aluminum, and bronze may be used, as well as alternative materials, such as ceramics, fiberglass, polyvinyl chloride, and acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene. Specialty and hardware stores offer a wide variety of metal grates and fiberglass and plastic grating and can often offer advice on the specific drain grate best suited to a given application.
Manufacturing Process of Drain Grates
Expansion and punch pressing are common methods for producing slotted and perforated meshes, as is welding, which can also be used to produce bar grating.