Wire Screen

Wire Screen

Wire screens may be very thin and fine, such as those used primarily in windows as a guard or barrier, or they may be thicker and more durable such as those used for outdoor barriers and fences or for load carrying applications. Window screens are the most common product manufactured from wire screens, but they are also used to produce flour sifters, strainers, filter screens, industrial strainers and sieves, which are used in liquid filtration systems to catch unwanted debris and media. The screens can be manufactured for specific needs and can range in terms of mesh count, wire gauges, type of weave and material types. Aluminum, bronze, steel and stainless steel, iron and brass are all materials which are commonly used in the construction of woven wire mesh. Material choice, as with other mesh design factors, is dependent on the intended application of the screen and the location in which it will be primarily found. Wire cloth can be galvanized to strengthen the mesh and to provide a coating which is resistant to corrosion, abrasion and high temperatures.

Screens are typically manufactured from very thin pieces of metal wire that are sized by wire drawing, a process that forces the wire through a die, decreasing the diameter. Constructing a screen from extremely thin wires allows for the physical property of visibility through the screen. Applications such as window and door guards and sorting dividers benefit from being able to see through the wire mesh while preventing access to items such as larger debris or insects. After the wire drawing process, wires are woven or welded to make a screen. Weaving is a process used for screens with smaller gauges where perpendicular wires are interlaced. For stronger applications, welding together perpendicular wires at their cross points increases the screen's strength. The screens are easily cut to size, but if woven, may come unraveled easily. Screens are often made of aluminum, copper, steel and stainless steel depending, on the desired strength-screens used to keep insects out are generally made of aluminum and are able to easily bend, while screen fencing is made of stronger metals like stainless steel.