Woven Wire Mesh vs. Welded Wire Mesh
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There are many characteristics to consider when selecting the right Wire Mesh product for your project. One of the primary differences between Woven Wire Mesh and Welded Wire Mesh is how they are constructed, or how the wires intersect. Woven Mesh is formed when cross wires and line wires are crossed over and under each other.
Wire Mesh is classified as Welded Wire Mesh when its wire intersections are melted and cooled together. Nevertheless, the differences and capabilities of these two categories of Mesh go far beyond their methods of construction.
Which Type Is Stronger?
Since the bonds of Welded Mesh are fused together, they are able to provide a certain level of rigidity and strength. Therefore, they maintain their fixed opening shape even under force. It should be noted, however, that if outside pressures put too much stress on Welded Wire Mesh intersections, a “breaking point” exists. This point is where welded bonds can eventually snap.
Woven Mesh does not have fixed bonds, so the product is pliable and does not possess the rigid qualities of its Welded counterpart. However, because they are formed without Welded bonds, the flexibility of Woven items allows the product to yield under outside pressure before springing back. These characteristics provide a unique durability that is useful in applications. Especially where stress applied to Wire Mesh is an important consideration.
Why Does Opening Size Matter When It Comes to Construction Type?
It is likely that when deciding which construction type is right for you, the desired opening size (clear space between wires, measured from the inside edge of one wire to the inside edge of the next adjacent wire) will be an important factor. Generally, Woven items are available with smaller opening sizes, while Welded is better suited for applications that call for larger openings.
For Welded, the smaller the desired opening size, the smaller the wire diameter has to be in order to leave enough clear opening for the welding process to occur between the wires. However, if the wire diameter (often referred to as wire gauge) becomes too small, the heat generated from the welding process can melt the wires.
For these reasons, the smallest opening size offered for Welded is typically 4 x 4 Mesh (four openings per lineal inch measured from the center of the wires), although there are a few smaller Mesh sizes available in Stainless Steel and PVC-coated finishes.
It is important to note that woven is often unavailable in some of the larger opening sizes common in welded items. Without Welded bonds to hold them in place, woven wires in larger opening sizes can shift and lose their original shape. If you need a larger opening size but still require a Woven construction, Lock Crimp and Intercrimp weave types provide increased rigidity.
Will Wire Mesh Unravel?
Seeing as Woven items are not bonded at each intersection, it is possible for wires to come apart at pattern ends or where the material is cut. Larger opening sizes and smaller wires will reduce the rigidity of Woven items and, therefore, make them more likely to unravel slightly at the ends once sheared.
Some Woven Meshes come with a selvage, or finished, edge. One common way of producing a selvage edge is by curling the shute (short) wire and weaving it back through the warp (long) wires. These looped ends help prevent the item from unraveling. Other methods of keeping Woven Mesh intact are by framing the material or, for larger openings, by leaving a stub to hold the ends in place (though this practice can be difficult for skew, or diagonal, cuts).
Lock Crimp and Intercrimp weaves are more likely to stay together once sheared; however, they are also not permanently fastened and can come apart. Since Welded Wire Mesh is secured at each wire intersection, it is less likely to come apart once cut.
What Materials and Finishes Are Available?
Wire Mesh is formed in a number of material types and finishes, though there are a few limitations depending on the construction type chosen. For example, Welded Mesh is unavailable in Aluminum because the metal tends to be too soft and, therefore, the wires are susceptible to melting. Additionally, although we offer Woven materials that have been pre-galvanized, Woven materials are generally not hot-dipped galvanized after the wires have been woven together.
This is largely because smaller opening sizes (less than 1/4") can become clogged with the zinc oxide solution involved in the coating process. Furthermore, hot-dipped galvanizing and powder coating are not ideal for Woven items because this process merely coats the wires where they rest together during the dipping process. It is possible that there could be a lack of coverage where wires overlap or intersect, and when Woven wires later shift, the raw or uncoated steel can become exposed to corrosive elements in the environment.
Contact us to discuss your requirements of 2x2" galvanized welded wire mesh roll. Our experienced sales team can help you identify the options that best suit your needs.
What Is "Coil Memory"?
Wire Mesh is available in coil and sheet forms. Typically, Woven Wire Mesh is stored as coils or in rolls. When coiled materials are unrolled to be installed or sheared, it is possible that cut pieces will maintain their coiled shape rather than lying flat. This occurrence is called “coil memory.”
To reverse the coil shape, pieces can be flipped over and laid flat with a heavy object placed on the surface to reduce coil memory. If this type of flattening process is chosen, it is important to use an object that will not crush the wires or weave the pattern.
With Welded Wire Mesh, the fused wire intersections make the material very stiff and, therefore, more difficult to roll tight enough to be stored as a coil. Instead, Welded Wire Mesh is typically stored in the form of a sheet. Due to these reasons and because woven is more frequently constructed from thinner wires than welded, the “coil memory” phenomenon is more common with woven items.
Summary
Despite having similar appearances and purposes, there are many different factors in determining whether a Woven or Welded construction type is right for your application. We trust this volume of Hole Stories has illuminated some of the characteristics of these two versatile Mesh types.
If you have questions or would like help determining which Wire Mesh item is right for your project, contact us at 866.252.9064, sales@mcnichols.com, or via Live Chat on mcnichols.com.
Filtration and separation technologies are critical to many applications that cover a broad cross-section of consumer and industrial products. There are literally millions of uses for filtration and separation that touch our day-to-day lives.
Comparing three forms of metals’ properties and qualities
When it comes to filtration methods that require strength, heat-resistance and durability, three forms of metal make up the vast majority of solutions for these requirements: perforated metal, expanded metal and wire mesh. Each type offers effective filtration. However, there are different properties and qualities of each that should be considered when determining which is optimal for an application.
Perforated metal is metal that has had holes or openings punched through it, either via an all-across press or another method such as CNC punching or laser cutting. The unique qualities of perforated metal for filtration or separation include:
Versatility: Perforated metal offers the greatest overall versatility in pattern, shape, material type and hole gauge among the three materials discussed here. When the amount of open area (the hole that allows the passage of air, light, liquids, etc.) is critical to the efficient operation of the application, perforated metal can provide the greatest control of open area.
Strength: While all three methods offer high structural strength, perforated metal is the only method that can be freestanding. This is because perforated metal can be manufactured with nonperforated borders at its outer edges, providing greater stability. Expanded metal and wire mesh must be attached to stabilizing frames.
Weight: Since material is removed during the manufacturing process, perforated metal will weigh much less than expanded metal when using comparative materials. Further, it has great strength-to-weight ratio properties, meaning the weight is lowered but the strength is not significantly compromised. This is an important distinction for weight-sensitive applications.
Expanded metal is produced by cutting a pattern of slits in metal coil, then stretching (or expanding) it so that the slits become diamond-shaped holes. Expanded metal is typically a thinner material than the other methods described here due to the nature of the process. However, this metal type offers a number of advantages and unique properties.
Configuration options: Although the distinctive diamond-shaped pattern of expanded metal cannot be changed, expanded metal pieces can be configured in different ways. Standard expanded metal retains a 3-D raised, slightly twisted configuration of the piece after the stretching process. The metal can be further processed to flatten any strands of the diamond configuration that may be raised or at an angle.
Strength: The one-piece construction, along with the configuration of the diamond shapes, provides a great deal of structural integrity. Expanded metal is often used for industrial uses such as flooring, steps, walls and gates for this reason.
Wire mesh can be of woven (interlocked) or welded construction. In either case, wire mesh consists of strands of metal wire fastened together to form a mesh sheet. Some unique properties of wire mesh include:
Flexibility: Wire mesh is also sometimes called wire cloth, and it can be woven in such a way that it provides the same flexibility of cloth. For applications where a non-rigid construction is required, with the same filtration properties of metal, wire mesh is often the right choice.
Gauge and construction versatility: Wire mesh can be manufactured with large openings (for applications such as fences) or nearly invisible openings (when higher rates of filtration are required). In addition, wire mesh offers some flexibility in opening shapes, though not as many options as perforated metal.
While each of these metals have unique strengths, it’s important to understand the specific requirements of the application to determine which will work best for you. If you are working on a project and are unsure of what type of metal to use, consider reaching out to a metal manufacturer to consult with during the selection process.
Jake Holeva is business development manager at Hendrick Manufacturing, Carbondale, Pa. To learn more, visit www.hendrickcorp.com or call (570) 267-3814.
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