What are the Specifications for Wire Cloth Size and Openings?

What are the Specifications for Wire Cloth Size and Openings?

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.

What are the Main Considerations When Specifying Wire Cloth or Metal Mesh?

Application typically determines the selection of key specifications such as spacing, opening size, and mesh count. In some applications, wire cloth is specified by mesh size, and in other applications, by opening size.

The construction method, woven versus welded, has the greatest impact on metal cloth strength and durability, with welded wire cloth having superior properties.

Within woven wire cloth types, the weave determines strength and durability.

Metal or metal alloy selection is mainly determined by:

The operating environment (temperature, humidity, wet vs. dry, flames, marine salt spray)

Media being processed (wet slurries, dry non-corrosive powders, acids, corrosive chemicals).

The significance of specific specifications varies depending on the intended industrial application. For example:

The light transmission properties are important in architectural ceiling and facade applications where the wire cloth is used to provide shade and reduce cooling costs.

The weight per unit area (lbs/sq.ft) and strength of the wire cloth can be important in architectural applications where the wire mesh is part of a structure. The structure has to be built to support the weight of the wire mesh architectural fabric.

Linear breaking strength can also be a selection factor in filtration applications. The wire cloth must be able to withstand the pressure applied to the cake and wire cloth filter during filtration operations. If the wire cloth is too weak, then filter distortion or breakage can occur.

The open area, pore size, percent porosity flow resistance, pore size distribution, water permeability, or air permeability of the wire cloth are selection criteria for wire cloth filters or wire mesh to be used to fabricate filters.

If the wire cloth is being employed for EMI or RFI shielding applications, then the magnetic and electrical conductivity of the wire mesh are key selection parameters.

Wire Diameter or Width

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 or Wire Count

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.

Percent Open Area

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:

Open Area = Opening Width1 x Opening W2

Open Area + Wire Area = Total Area

Open Area (%) = Open Area / Total Area

58% and 84% Open Area Wire Mesh

Opening Size

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.

Opening Shape

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:

Square

Hexagon

Rectangular

Round

Triangular

Custom or complex patterns。