Titanium expanded metal is a titanium sheet or plate that has been simultaneously cut and stretched in order to form a framework of interlinked bars and uniformly patterned open spaces. Titanium is a highly valued material known for its strength and durability.
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Compared to expanded steel of comparable strength, titanium is 45% lighter with similar gains on weight to strength efficiency regarding expanded aluminum. Although titanium sheet and plate have these same qualities, expanded metals are stronger, more rigid and lighter-weight than solid forms. The use of titanium expanded metal in industrial, commercial and residential environments also allows free flow of heat, sound, light, air and liquids and the raised patterns of expanded metal sheets provide increased traction for foot traffic as well as machine movement. Highly corrosion resistant, heat resistant and strong; titanium expanded metal mesh is used in a number of industries for support, security and protection. Military, medical, aquarium, automotive, aerospace, desalinization, shipping, power generation and electronics industries use titanium expanded metal for such varied applications as filtration, drainage, construction, decoration, window coverings, electronic enclosures, partitions, walkways and more. Despite the advantages of titanium over other expanded metals, it is not as popular as steel or aluminum which are much more economic.
The high price of titanium is due to the difficulty of extracting it from the Earth's crust. Because the element is not found in pure form, it must undergo several processes before being cast or extruded in the form of sheets and plates. Beyond the extraction, however, titanium is highly formable. Like all expanded metals, titanium sheets are fed into an expansion machine wherein several precision dies cut slits into the metal. The uniform slits create an alternating offset pattern. At the same time, the titanium is drawn though heated presses which stretched the sheet to as much as ten times its original length. The presses cause the metal to expand and the pre-cut holes to swell, transforming the solid sheet into a mesh-like screen. The resulting metal strands and bonds that encompass the numerous gaps create an interconnecting network which distributes weight evenly. As this is a solid piece of titanium, it is extremely durable and has no seams, welds or joints which might work loose over time. The titanium expanded metal sheets are easily bent and formed into finished expanded metal products. Percentage of open space, gauge, length, width and height of both the metal frame and the openings should be taken into account with regards to the specific application for which it will be used.
