Mesh Terminology

(Short Way Dimension) The dimensional (US/Metric) size of the mesh pattern.

(Long Way Dimension) The dimensional (US/Metric) size of the mesh pattern.

(Short Way Opening) The dimensional (US/Metric) size of the mesh pattern.

(Long Way Opening) The dimensional size (US/Metric) of the mesh pattern.

The intersection where meshes are joined. Sometimes referred to as Knuckle.

Another term for (US/Metric) SWD

Amount and dimensional (US/Metric) length fed between the upper and lower tooling to produce the mesh

Material thickness (US/Metric) used to produce standard material which is the raw thickness. It is also the thickness of the material after flattening.

An edge on the inside of the mesh that may be sharp or serrated in appearance. Caused by improper clearance or worn tooling.

An edge at the cut off of an expanded sheet or coil that looks like prongs in the shape of the mesh. Caused by a wide clearance, removal is done by wire brush or file at the expand work center.

Sheet Terminology

Raised or standard material in its original form coming off the expand work center.

The result of passing (feeding) the standard material through a cold roll reducing mill to a defined specification that produces a uniform thickness of the entire sheet.

The material elongates parallel to the feed direction creating a longer sheet in the feed direction and may reduce the size of the of the sheet opposite of the feed direction.

  • FXM Straight Rolled
  • Flattening parallel to LWD
  • FXM Cross Rolled
  • Flattening parallel to SWD

The result of passing (feeding) the standard material through a cold roll reducing mill to a defined specification that produces a less than uniform thickness of the entire sheet. The product is not flat by definition but somewhere between standard and flat.

The result of passing (feeding) the standard material through a cold roll reducing mill to slightly knock down the Bond.

Shorts, expanded material to be flattened

(Short Way Mesh) The dimensional (US/Metric) size parallel to the SWO of the sheet or coil.

(Long Way Mesh) The dimensional (US/Metric) size parallel to the LWO of the sheet or coil.

This can be result of improper manufacturing and/or incorrect raw material length. These are open bonds that resemble a crow’s foot.

Manufacturing Terminology

M/R, expanded metal mesh or walkway grating as it comes off the expander.

R/S, expanded metal mesh or walkway grating that is sheared or cut to a defined size without specific requirements. Sheet size can be held to tight tolerance. Likely to have open meshes.

B/S, expanded metal mesh or walkway grating that is sheared or cut to a defined size on the bond or knuckle. Sheet size is dependent on where the bond falls during the M/R process. Produces closed meshes.

BB/S, an older term not much used, expanded metal mesh or walkway grating that is sheared or cut to a defined size along a centerline on the bond or knuckle. Sheet size is dependent on where the bond falls during the M/R process. Produces closed uniform meshes.

This process can be achieved through a M/R expand.

The amount of raw material being fed into the expander to make an expanded finished length.

The combined total amount(s) of the mesh blanks being fed into the expander.

The amount of raw material not expanded during the expand process.

It is important to keep this to a minimum, the dimension varies for each expand work center.

Another term for hold down.

The amount of raw material used to square the raw material prior to the expand process. In a sheet feed operation, this is done at every new sheet. It is required this be kept at four strokes.

The final process of expand work center set-up that finalizes specifications before the work-order begins.

Bowing in sheet or coil is measured by placing a straight edge along the concave side of the metal, parallel to the LWD, touching both ends of the sheet. It is natural for expanded materials to have this condition as it comes off the press.

The condition of not having 90 degree angles on the corners of the sheet also measured by placing a straight edge, parallel to the SWM. This is also natural for expanded materials to have this condition as it comes off the press.

The distance between the upper and lower tooling. It is measured with shims and is varied depending on the expand work center and material being expanded.

The forming and cutting materials used to produce expanded mesh. Upper tooling does the forming and comes in many shapes and sizes. Lower tooling is a flat surface that acts as a shear. The upper tool passes in front of the lower tool much like scissors to produce mesh.