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Terminology

  • EXPANDED METAL is sheet simultaneously slit and stretched into a rigid, open mesh. It is readily available in carbon steel. Aluminum, stainless steel and galvanized steel can also be supplied.
  • FLATTENED EXPANDED METAL is manufactured by processing regular expanded metal in a rolling mill. This rolling reduces the thickness of the sheet and provides a smooth flat surface. 
  • EXPANDED METAL GRATING is sheet or plate expanded into a structural open grating ideal for catwalk and platform applications. 
  • DECORATIVE EXPANDED METAL is manufactured with unique shaped openings which possess great appeal for architects and designers.
  • LOUVER MESH – Expanded metal products with a louvered shape opening allowing for directing air flow, available in several diamond sizes and open areas. This group of expanded metal meshes has endless architectural and security applications.
  • MINI-MESH EXPANDED METAL is manufactured from light gauge metals with small openings and is ideally suited for use in grilles and antennas.
  • SQUARE-MESH – Expanded metal produced with a near equal strand width and strand thickness and a relatively square opening. This results in a symmetrical pattern which provides excellent reflective qualities for use in radar screens and antennas.

  • STEEL DOOR GUARD – Small opening expanded metal products designed for security screen door applications, available in several unique mesh designs.

  • ANTI – GLARE MESH – Refers to a special group of products used in highway median strips to lessen objectionable headlight glare from oncoming cars.
  • STAIR TREADS – Expanded metal grating stair treads are fabricated using grating, angles and bars. They are shipped ready for installation.
  • SECURITY MESH – This represents several flattened expanded metals used in drywall and plaster ceilings and walls as a security barrier to prevent penetration or access from room to room. Attachment clips are available.

DESCRIPTIVE TERMINOLOGY:

  • BOND – The point where adjacent strands intersect. The bond is always twice the width of the strand.
  • CSF – Price and weight of expanded metal are quoted as CSF hundred square feet.
  • CAMBER – A slight bow which can occur during manufacturing and results in an out-of-square condition.
  • DIAMOND OR OPENING – This is the description of the open area formed by strands and bonds. Normally the open area is diamond shaped.
  • DISTRIBUTION – Expanded metal products are readily available from inventory maintained by your local Steel Service Center.
  • FABRICATION – Some fabrication services can be provided by the manufacturer. Quotations will be furnished promptly when drawings are submitted.
  • FINISHING – Limited finishing can be accomplished at manufacturing plants. This includes annealing, hot dip galvanizing and prime coating. Special finishing such as anodizing, enameling, and plastic coating can be arranged for by contacting your Steel Service Center.
  • FXM – Commonly used abbreviation for Flattened Expanded Metal.
  • LWD OR LWO – Long way of diamond or long way of opening is the dimension measured across the sheet in a direction parallel to the largest dimension of the diamond.
  • LEVELING – All expanded metal products except grating are leveled after having been expanded.
  • MESH – This is the nominal distance from the mid-point of one bond to the mid-point of the next bond measured across the SWD. Mesh is expressed in inches.
  • OPENING SIZE – The area enclosed by bonds and strands.
  • OVERALL THICKNESS – This is the finished thickness and often determines the selection of framing members.
  • PERCENT OF OPEN AREA – These important relative percentages are used by designers to calculate the degree with which light or air can pass through a piece of expanded metal.
  • PITCH – The measurement from a point on one diamond to the same point on an adjacent diamond.
  • SHEET SIZE – While expanded metal can be manufactured in many varying sheet sizes, practical limitations are such that it is wise to select sheet sizes shown in the catalog. Availability can be determined by contacting your Steel Service Center.
  • SQUARENESS – Products are square within manufacturing tolerances. Should squareness be critical, sheets can be square sheared.
  • STRAND – The single metal strip which forms the border of the diamond, or opening. Strand width is the amount of material advanced for expanding as differed from strand thickness, which is the thickness of metal from which the expanded metal is produced.
  • STYLE – It is the approximate gauge or thickness of metal from which expanded metal is made. Usually, but not always, this conforms to manufacturer’s standard gauges. Style is expressed by a number. Grating is expressed in pounds per square foot.
  • SWD OR SWO – Short way of diamond, or short way of opening, is the dimension measured across the sheet in a direction parallel to the smallest dimension of the diamond.
  • XM – Widely used abbreviation for Expanded Metal

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