Description of expanded metal mesh
Expanded metal mesh is an excellent option for custom wire baskets
that need more tensile strength than wires can provide, and more
open space than what sheet metal offers without wasting metal.
However, there may be some confusion about how expanded metal mesh
is measured. Stainless steel expanded metal mesh is made of a single solid sheet
of material that has been compressed and stretched. The expanded
metal grating is useful for heavyweight custom parts washing
applications, as well as providing open space for air flow and
drainage.
Types of expanded metal mesh
There are two distinct varieties of expanded stainless steel mesh
that can be used for baskets:standard and flattened. The term
“standard expanded metal” refers to the metal as it comes out of
the expanding machine. On the other hand, flattened expanded metal
is what happens when standard expanded metal is put through a cold
rolling steel mill to flatten the expanded stainless steel mesh
out.
The way expanded metal made
How stainless steel expanded metal is made depends on the type. In
the process of making standard expanded metal, the expander and the
sheet metal’s thickness will determine the specific dimensions of
the expanded metal, though thickness of the metal strands and the
open space between them will be consistent and regular. Depending
on the expanding equipment, standard expanded metal may have a
slightly rounded appearance. This helps reduce any risk of wash
process runoff collecting in the expanded metal basket.
Flattened expanded metal is put through a cold rolling steel to
flatten the mesh. This makes the expanded metal grating thinner,
flatter, and wider/longer. This type of expanded metal may have
dimensions slightly different from any original estimates since it
can be difficult to predict how much expansion will occur during
the flattening process.
The application of expanded metal mesh
The choice between flattened and standard expanded metal mesh
depends on the application. Standard expanded metal is often more
useful for parts washing applications because the raised centers of
the bonds prevent liquids from pooling in the basket. Flattened
expanded metal, on the other hand, may be more useful for certain
parts handling applications or for making larger custom mesh
baskets slightly lighter by thinning out the metal mesh.
