What Is a Fine Mesh?
A fine mesh is a type of mesh fabric available in two forms: welded wire mesh and plain weave wire mesh. In welded wire mesh, metal wires ranging from 0.5 to 2 mm in diameter are electrically welded in a grid pattern. The plain weave wire mesh uses ultra-fine wires with diameters as small as 0.02 mm. The welded variety is more workable than conventional plain weave wire mesh or crimped wire mesh due to its stable welded joints, which prevent metal wire loss and ensure a smooth, crease-free surface. The ultra-fine plain weave type is known for its excellent filtration capabilities due to its extremely small mesh size.
Materials such as iron wire, galvanized iron wire, stainless steel wire, brass wire, and copper wire are commonly used in these meshes, depending on the specific application.
Uses of Fine Meshes
Fine meshes are used in a variety of applications across many fields, depending on their mesh size and wire diameter. The ultra-fine plain weave type is typically used as a filter material in applications like dust filters for home appliances, air filters for automobiles, and oil filters. Smaller welded types find use in household storage solutions like racks and baskets, as well as in industrial settings for transporting parts, chemical processing trays, and cleaning baskets. Larger welded types are commonly used as reinforcement materials, in applications such as housing fences, and bird nets in agriculture, and as core materials in concrete construction.
Principle of Fine Mesh
Fine meshes are characterized by the wire diameter and mesh size of the metal wire used. Mesh size is often described in terms of pitch, gap, or mesh count. Pitch refers to the distance between opposite sides of the square that forms the mesh, while the gap is the internal dimension of the mesh (pitch minus one wire diameter). Mesh count is the number of meshes within a 25.4 mm (1 inch) span.
In welded type fine meshes, wire diameters range from 0.5 to 2.0 mm, with mesh sizes from 1 to 4 mesh or 0.25 to 1 inch pitch. Ultra-fine plain weave types are available with wire diameters as small as 0.02 mm and mesh counts up to 635 (0.04 mm pitch).
The overlapping vertical and horizontal metal wires in fine meshes result in a thickness that is double the diameter of the metal wire. Flat meshes, where wires are welded together at intersections, offer a thickness equal to the metal wire diameter and provide twice the shear strength.