When designing an industrial wire screen section, selecting the weave pattern is paramount to achieving optimal performance. Square mesh weaves, in particular, can deliver peak efficiency and longevity, even when subjected to demanding applications.
Whether you are in the mining industry th, the recycling industry, or somewhere in between, selecting the suitable weave types will heavily influence your operation's accuracy, efficiency, and longevity. Neglecting to select an appropriate weave meticulously can reduce screening effectiveness, cause faults throughout the screen, and even damage your screening equipment.
For over 150 years, W.S. Tyler has been heavily invested in providing tailored industrial screen solutions. Each weave empowers you to achieve results that stand out in the industry.
We wrote the following article to provide insight into the best square mesh for your screening operation, allowing you to take your process to greater heights. You will learn:
- The importance of picking the correct weave pattern for your industrial wire screen sections
- The definition of square mesh
- A breakdown of every square mesh weave used for industrial wire screen sections
- The disadvantages of using square mesh
Why Does Weave Pattern When Designing an Industrial Wire Screen Sections?
In the screening industry, materials vary in shape and size. The easiest to screen typically has a round or cubicle profile, but elongated (slivers) and otherwise irregular particles are a little more difficult.
The choice of opening and weave type will ultimately determine how well your industrial wires screen handles the shape of your particles.
What Is Square Mesh?
Square mesh is a classification of woven wire mesh weaves that feature square-shaped openings that are uniform in size and spacing. These precise, rigid openings are archived using a centuries-old weaving technique that interweaves hundreds of metallic wires at right angles.
Read the article below and get to know how woven wire mesh is made:
As no one screening application is the exact same, it's important to know that virtually every mesh specification is customizable. This includes the wire diameter, mesh count, aperture size, alloy, etc.
This level of customization ensures your square mesh screens deliver consistent and precise material classification.
Square Mesh Weaves Explained
Six unique square waves are primarily used in industrial wire screen sections. These weaves are plain weave, double crimp screen, lock crimp screen, double intermediate crimp screen, flat top screen, and single intermediate crimp.
Plain Weave - Form A1 & A2
Two plain weaves are used for industrial screening: Form A1 and Form A2. The critical difference between the two goes as follows:
- Form A1 features a plain warp wire and a plain shute wire
- Form A2 features a plain warp wire and a pre-crimped shute wire
Plain weave industrial wire screens are typically reserved for applications that call for smaller opening specifications. More specifically, the largest opening in Form A1 is 1mm, whereas 1mm to 4mm is generally reserved for Form A2 with some overlap of other crimped weaves.
These weaves are standard. This means there is a large inventory of both plain weave variants; thus, lead times are more desirable than other weaves.
Double Crimp Screen - Form A3
The warp and shute wires are pre-crimped with the Double Crimp Screen weave. That said, these crimps only occur at the wire intersections.
There are no intermediate crimps.
The Double Crimp Screen weaves feathers with a small opening-to-wire ratio. While this often means less throughput, the ratio makes for a substantial screen for heavy-duty applications.
This weave is also known to have a relatively rough surface. In screening applications, the rough surface shifts material for more effective screening.
Lock Crimp Screen - Form D
Once the required openings get bigger, merely a crimp at the wire intersections would provide optimal screening. Lock Crimp Screens, also referred to as Press-Locked Screens, feature pre-crimped warp and shute wires with crimps on both sides.
This securely locks the wires in place.
The Lock Crimp Screen weave has an increased opening-to-wire diameter ratio. Much like the double-crimped screen, this ratio makes for a strong screen with improved durability.
Again, like the Double Crimped Screen, lock crimp screens are outfitted with a rough surface that allows for material is shift and pass through the openings efficiently. However, the rough surface leaves the intersection knuckles vulnerable to wear due to its profile.
Double Intermediate Crimp Screen - Form C
The Double Intermediate Crimp weave is unique in that both the warp and the shute wire are pre-crimped and outfitted with intermediate crimps. This unique profile creates a large opening-to-wire diameter ratio.
The double intermediate crimps leave the wire vulnerable to faults when subjected to heavier, abrasive materials. For this reason, it is not typically recommended for industrial screening.
It may, however, be used in specific food screening applications, such as screening gummy bears. However, the application must be without wear and tear restrictions.
Flat Top Screen - Form E
The flat top screen weave features a pre-crimped warp and shute wire. What makes this particular weave stand out, however, is that all the crimps are oriented downward.
With every wire, there is no crimp at every other wire intersection.
These characteristics create a flat surface with no knuckles, leaving you with an industrial wire screen that provides exceptional wear properties.
It should be noted that the flat surface of the weave can cause the material to travel too fast, especially when the screen is placed in an inclined vibrating machine. The faster the material moves, the fewer possibilities there are for the particles to find and pass the openings.
Single Intermdidate Crimp - Type B
Technically, the single intermediate crimp weave combines a Double Crimp Screen and a Double Intermediate Crimp Screen. This means that in one direction, you have the characteristics of an intermediate crimp weave, and the other is crimped with no intermediate crimps.
While we said that the intermediate crimps of the Type C weave are not ideal for heavy, abrasive materials, they can be used with this weave. This is because it's a slotted weave, and the warp wires are placed much closer together, improving the structural integrity of the weave.
What Are the Disadvantages of a Square Mesh Industrial Wire Screen Section?
The biggest pitfall associated with all square weaves is the amount of open area. As particles pass through the mesh, square mesh weaves basically surround each particle with four wires.
This, in turn, creates a smaller open area that can cause particles to get stuck. Additionally, the reduced open area tends to limit the screening capacity of the screen section.
Get to Know How Square Mesh Industrial Wire Screen Sections Will Impact Your Budget
The weave you choose to fabricate your industrial wire screen is critical to how well it performs and how durable it is. Understanding the various properties of each square weave will allow you to make the informed decisions needed to implement screen sections that facilitate desirable productivity and efficiency.
But to better determine what industrial wire screen sections are right for you, it is key to understand the factors that play into their cost. This will ensure the weave you select performs and matches your budgetary constraints.
As you continue your journey toward the best screening solution, understand that W.S. Tyler strives to leverage our 150 years of wire mesh experience to help you find the perfect balance of cost and performance. We do so by taking the time to understand your operation's exact needs so we can help you value-engineer the weave you choose.
And with that, we encourage you to read the following article on the cost of a vibrating screen so you can become familiar with the factors that need to be considered: