Wire mesh and cloth consists of metal wires woven or knitted into a grid or screen pattern with openings determined by the mesh size or linear density of wires (wire per inch). A larger mesh size number indicates smaller openings. A 325 mesh product has a nominal sieve opening size of 44 microns while a 100 mesh screen has a nominal opening size of 149 microns.

Woven wire mesh and cloth is a grid of individual metal wires woven over and under other wires that are positioned at 90° angles to each other. Wire cloth products include a broad range of design specifications, which consist of a variety of weave styles, wire diameters and types of materials. Wire mesh and cloth weave styles are 10-mesh or finer and woven typically of smooth, drawn wires which are force-crimped into place during the weaving process. Common weave styles for wire mesh and cloth include plain woven, twill, and plain Dutch, as well as variants such as Dutch twill, reverse Dutch, twill Dutch double, stranded, and pre-crimped weave.

Plain woven is the most popular wire mesh and cloth weave. Each weft wire passes alternately over and under each warp wire, and each warp wire passes alternately over and under each weft wire. Generally, the warp and weft wire diameters are the same. In twill wire cloth, each warp wire and each shute wire passes successively over and under the two adjacent wires - in both the warp and shute directions. This over and under movement is shifted one wire with each pass of the shuttle. This pattern permits the weaving of heavier wires in varying meshes. Each weft wire alternately passes over two, then under two successive warp wires; each warp wire passes alternately over two and under two successive weft wires, in a staggered arrangement. Twill weave is used to allow a heavier than standard wire diameter in association with a given mesh.

Plain Dutch wire mesh and cloth weave has a similar interlacing to plain weave, but the warp wires have a larger diameter than the shute wires. The lighter shute wires are driven up close, thus forming a dense filtering-medium. This weave displays a tapered or wedge-shaped opening. While the warp wires remain straight, the weft wires are plain-woven to lie as close as possible against each other in a linen weave, forming a dense strong material with small, irregular and twisting passageways that appear triangular when the weave is viewed diagonally.

Wire mesh and cloth can be woven from many different materials, but the application requirements determine the best selection. Some of the most common wire mesh and cloth materials include steel and stainless steel, nickel-based alloys, aluminum, brass, copper, bronze, titanium, molybdenum, tantalum and tungsten. Specialty and custom materials, weaves and cloth grades can be worked out with the wire mesh and cost supplier.

Knitted mesh is a nonwoven wire mesh or cloth product. Knitted wire mesh or cloth is manufactured using a knitting process where the mesh is formed from a series of interlocking loops.  The loop structure gives knitted cloth greater in plane springiness or two dimensional flexibility compared to woven mesh or fabric.  Knitted mesh can be crimped or compressed to alter characteristics for specific applications.

Steellong manufactures all kinds of wire mesh and cloth products, please call us or email us for your needs.