Wire Mesh: A Guide to the Right Product

The flexibility and durability of wire cloth makes it a versatile product. From the food and beverage production industry to automotive, pharmaceutical, and medical sectors, metal mesh is being increasingly used across multiple industries. 

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As there is a surge in the use of wire cloth, mesh products have grown into various types, standards, and patterns catering to the industry-specific demand. The production has become exceptionally sophisticated with the invention of new molecular diffusion-bonding and lamination technologies. Depending on required materials and pore sizes, one can find the exact wire mesh material they need. 

Each of these wire mesh products varies based on applications, the number of laminated layers, and mechanical properties, in addition to the fabrication process. Technical and metallurgical considerations add to the growing diversity that demands careful and need-specific selection of wire cloth. Here is a guide on different types of metal mesh products, their significance, and how to select the right product for your application. 

Wire Mesh: What and How

Wire mesh refers to a metal net or screen of attached or woven strands formed by intersecting strands of wire. Stainless steel, copper, aluminum, brass, and bronze are the most popular metals used to produce wire mesh filters used for screening, structuring, and shielding. A filter made from sintered wire cloth is the best choice since sintering enables bonding at the molecular level and leads to laminated layers of woven wire. 

There are two major ways of manufacturing metal mesh – weaving and welding. Woven wire mesh is created when metal wires are woven into a web of intersected wires. It follows the pattern of one perpendicular wire woven over and under another wire. This pattern creates a web of mesh wire. Welded wire mesh, on the other hand, is produced when metal wires are put in rows and columns as per the size of the required pores and then are welded at the intersection. 

Wire Mesh: Types, Significance and Use

Whether meant for domestic or industrial use, sintered wire cloth comes with varying types of coarseness, weight, and aperture. Different types of sintered wire cloth have unique features, patterns, qualities, and functionalities.

• Stainless Steel Wire Mesh – Prepared from steel or iron-nickel alloy, this type of metal mesh is strong, sturdy, and reliable. Stainless steel wire mesh can have extremely low-variant but very stable pores. It comes in both high-carbon and low-carbon variants and is available in various patterns. Sintered wire cloth of steel is the best suitable for extremely corrosive or high-temperature environments and outdoor applications. Steel wire mesh filters are widely used in separation technology, architecture, and heat conditioning.
• Aluminum Wire Mesh – Aluminum wire mesh is often chosen for its relative affordability compared to other metals, as well as for its low weight compared to steel or stainless steel. Aluminum wire mesh is about a third of the weight of a stainless steel mesh with the same specifications, which can make it useful in the creation of items like personal audio headsets where low weight is critical.
• Plain Weave Sintered Square Woven Wire Mesh – This type of sintered wire mesh laminate is made by sintering multiple layers of plain weave square woven wire mesh together. Because of the large open area percentages of the square woven wire mesh layers, this type of sintered wire mesh laminate has good permeability characteristics and low resistance to flow. This type of sintered wire mesh laminate is useful for polymer production, as well as a variety of fluid and air filtration applications.
• Dutch Woven Sintered Wire Mesh – Wires of different diameters are used and pushed closer to each other to achieve a sintered wire mesh cloth of the highest density. These can be either plain or twill weave wire mesh. When made from sintered metals, the Dutch pattern produces more rigidity and tensile strength. The closer wire placement means a higher particle retention capability up to 10 micrometers. Dutch woven sintered wire mesh is used for very fine filtration applications and the making of protection chassis, enclosures, and boxes. The absence of openings allows this sintered wire cloth type to make the best water, air, fuel, plastic processing, and hydraulic filters. 
• 5-Layer Sintered Wire Mesh – 5-layer sintered wire mesh is created when a single layer of fine woven wire mesh is placed between two layers of coarser square woven meshes. It is then added to two layers of a strong Dutch woven wire mesh and sintered together to form a strong plate. The single layer of fine woven wire mesh acts as the filtration layer, and can be customized to meet a particular filtration rating, ranging from 1 micron to 200 microns.
• Double Weave Wire Mesh – A variant of the pre-crimped weave pattern, double weave wire mesh derives its name from its manufacturing process. Two wrap wires run over and under two weft wires making this type of wire mesh robust to withstand high-intensity tasks. Double weave sintered wire cloth is the top choice for vibrating screens of conveyor belts, mining filters, and crushers. Barbecues also utilize this wire mesh.
• Epoxy Coated Wire Mesh – Epoxy coated wire mesh can be used in a variety of filtering applications and as a support or for pleat spacing in filters. Door and insect screens are oftentimes produced using epoxy coated wire mesh.  The epoxy coating can be applied to plain steel, aluminum, or stainless steel wire mesh.

Tips To Select The Best Wire Mesh

While buying metal mesh, one must consider the following points.

• The purpose for which you need wire mesh. Each type has its advantages and disadvantages for various applications.
• The fabrication process is another important area to look at. This impacts the durability, structural rigidity, and tensile strength of a wire mesh.
• Pore size and pattern is important based on industry-specific filtration needs. For example, the Dutch pattern enables much higher precision filtration of particles compared to other variants.
• Sintered metal or alloy plays a role too in selections based on temperature, environment, and nature of the application. Non-corrosive metals are a must if it is mining, oil, or water industry. At locations with extreme temperatures, metals need to be highly resistant to corrosion. 
• The choice of sintered metals should also consider the potential presence of contaminants in the filtering process.

Contact Lawrence Sintered Metals for Wire Mesh

Lawrence Sintered Metals makes the best-quality and budget-friendly sintered wire cloth suitable for a range of applications. Contact us to learn more about our wire mesh and the applications it can be used for. 

Stainless steel is the most useful element operated in various industries, but when it comes to choosing the right stainless steel grade, industries get riddled.

Properties of stainless steel which need to be assured contain many matters such as the amount of nickel, chromium, workability, hardness, yield strength, and top of all corrosion resistance that can work constantly at every temperature without creating an effect on machinery.

Austenitic stainless steel grades such as AISI 304 stainless steel meet each requirement as mentioned above with offerings of 304 sub-grades which play a vital role in numerous industries according to their chemical properties. Below we will go through each of them with a detailed form of their uses and applications.

What is AISI 304 Stainless Steel?

AISI 304 – industrially denoted as 18/8, is an austenitic chromium-nickel stainless steel. The tag of AISI on it stands for (American Iron and Steel Institute), identifying its commercial availability of stainless steel or chromium steel.

AISI 304 stainless steel composition mainly consists of 18% chromium and 8% nickel, and other stainless steel qualities enhancing alloys include nickel, manganese, silicon, nitrogen, carbon, phosphorus, and sulphur.

This stable arrangement of the AISI 304 stainless steel composition makes it ideal for corrosion resistance and durability.

AISI 304 Stainless Steel can be easily formed for complex structures which makes it flexible to get in use by multiple industries, including manufacturing, construction, and sanitaryware. 

Alloys of AISI 304 can also be easily welded with an offering of NO-QUALITY-CHANGE corrosion resistance and low weightage, making AISI 304 a popular choice even for welding industries such as metal sheeting, wire mesh products, and steam piping. 

3 Main Types of 304 Stainless Steel Grades:

304L Stainless Steel:

Now, what does “L” stand for in 304L, and how does it make all the difference?

Well, “L” is a grade that represents “Low-carbon” which makes a slight yet significant difference of 0.05% carbon content which makes it structurally weaker than AISI 304 Stainless Steel.

That doesn’t mean 304L can’t get participated in any industrial uses, rooming a matter of fact – 304L is massively considered more useful than other stainless steel grades for a way easier welding process by minimizing the carbide precipitation even in severely corrosive environments.

304L Stainless Steel Chemical Composition (in %)

Applications of 304L Stainless Steel:

• Welding industry
• Heat exchangers
• Chemical containers
• Dyeing industry
• Welded screens for mining

304H Stainless Steel:

“H” in 304H stands for “High” carbon content which denotes an increment of strength in handling high temperatures. If we analyze industrial uses, stainless steel grades 304 and 304H are the most widely used across the globe.

Being the best fit for high-temperature applications 304H stainless steel offers high strength for temperatures from 550° C to 800° C. An attribute of good oxidation resistance makes Stainless Steel 304H ideal even for periodic use at 870° C with continuous services till 925° C.

304H Stainless Steel Chemical Composition (in %):

Applications of 304H Stainless Steel:

The company is the world’s best 304 Stainless Steel Wire Mesh supplier. We are your one-stop shop for all needs. Our staff are highly-specialized and will help you find the product you need.

• Boilers
• Heat exchangers
• Condensers
• Steam exhausts
• Electric generation plants

304LN Stainless Steel:

Increase in nitrogen, Improvement in yield strength!

304LN stainless steel grade is a derivation of this phrase only. Basically, 304LN is an austenitic grade with the boom of nitrogen to 304 stainless steel grade. It offers an increase in yield strength without imparting its flexibility.

Even high temperatures of °C to °C get easily handled by this grade which makes it more stable than 304L for martensitic transformations caused at low temperatures. 

304LN Stainless Steel Chemical Composition (in %):

Applications of 304LN Stainless Steel:

• Nuclear industry
• Petroleum industry
• Chemical industry
• Food industry
• Fabrication industry

AISI 304 Stainless Steel Properties:

AISI 304 Stainless Steel Chemical Composition (in %):

AISI 304 Stainless Steel Characteristics:

AISI 304 Stainless Steel Corrosion Resistance: 

304 stainless steel is the most popular stainless steel choice with the main feature of its corrosion resistance, which can easily resist chloride and simulate situations. 

Stainless steel 304 cannot be readily hardened by thermal treatments but can easily be annealed which increases its workability and AISI 304 stainless steel yield strength.

AISI 304 Stainless Steel Machinability:

Machinability of stainless steel is what defines the ease of material where it can get cut or shaped with quality that meets smooth surface finishing and long-term machinability.

The machinability of AISI 304 is 70 – the same as AISI 304L labelled by the American Iron and Steel Institute standards. 

AISI 304 Stainless Steel Hot Working: 

The high heat resistance of AISI 304 stainless steel and oxidation make it ideal for temperatures up to 870 degrees Celsius. 

These high temperatures aren’t highly recommended for regular use, especially when moisture is involved. This mismatch can thoroughly reduce the AISI 304 stainless steel workability and corrosion resistance efficiency. 

AISI 304 Stainless Steel Heat Resistance:

Because of 304 stainless steel’s good resistance to oxidation, it provides continuous quality service from temperatures 870°C to 925°C. Continuous processing at temperatures such as 425°C – 860°C isn’t recommended.

For continuous processing at these high temperatures, stainless steel grade 304H is recommended. In case high strength is required for up to 500°C – 800°C temperatures, 304H stainless steel is recommended.

AISI 304 Stainless Steel Fabrication:

Stainless steel is a material that is used to avoid corrosion but don’t forget if its fabrication is not done properly, it won’t give results as desired.

So, precautions are needed to avoid corrosion resistance. Stainless steel fabrication should be done with dedicated stainless steel materials only and cleaned before being considered to use in fabrication.

AISI 304 Stainless Steel Cold Working:

The cold working of 304 stainless steel involved in its fabrication method requires intermediate heating temperatures to ease its work hardening and avoiding tearing and crackling.

As the conclusion of the whole stainless steel fabrication process, an entire annealing process is required that can reduce its internal stresses and optimise corrosion resistance.

AISI 304 Stainless Steel Heat Treatment:

The hardened form of 304 stainless steel cannot be achieved by heat treatment. 

So as a solution to the situation, annealing and solution treatment are required which needs to be done by rapid cooling after heating stainless steel at °C – °C temperature.

AISI 304 Stainless Steel Welding:

The welding performance of 304 stainless steel serves quality even if it’s done with or without fillers.

For stainless steel 304, grade 308 stainless steel filler rods and electrodes are recommended. Heavy welded sections such as splices on transfer girders may require post-weld annealing.

AISI 304 Stainless Steel Applications:

• Food and Catering
  
  
• Offshore Technology
  
  
• Seawater Desalination Plants
  
  
• Chemical Industry
  
  
• Bridges
  
  
• Storage Tanks
  
  
• Medical Industry
  
  
• Civil Engineering
  
  
• Power Plants
  
  
• Shipbuilding Industry
  
  
• Kitchen sinks, consumer durables
  
  
• Automotive and aerospace components
  
  
• Fasteners and flange manufacturing

About Vishwa Stainless Steel Pvt. Ltd.

As we noticed through our blog, the need for stainless steel is increasing worldwide, and to meet the needs of each of their industries’ requirements Vishwa Stainless Steel Pvt. Ltd. manufactures corrosion-resistant, sturdy, and low-maintenance stainless steel bright bars that can cater to both domestic and industrial use.

Stainless steel bright bars manufactured by Vishwa Stainless Steel Pvt. Ltd. gets processed with the latest technology that assures high surface smoothness and quality assurance making us leading manufacturers of leading stainless steel products manufacturers such as stainless steel bright round bars, hexagonal bars, square bars, precision bars, polished bars, hardened bars, cold drawn bars, and wires.

If you want to learn more, please visit our website Steel Grating Manufacturer.