| What is Knitted mesh ?
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Traditionally, Knitting is a method for making cloth from threads or yarns. For industrial and commercial applications, knitted materials (also known as mesh) utilise a much broader range of materials and involve a wide range of post-Knitting processes. |
| How to knit Wire
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WireKnitting is based on principles similar to garment Knitting, but is produced using specialised "Rishikesh WK 500 high speed WireKnitting Machines" heavy-duty and long life Machinesry.
Initially formed as a cylinder, the knitted material is rolled to produce a lay flat sock which can vary in width from 6mm to 1000mm.
The material has interlocking asymmetrical loops of Wire which can move relative to one another, allowing sideways and lengthways stretch. Because each loop is bent like a small spring this also provide high resilience
WireKnitting can be used in its original flat form or further processed by layering, folding, coiling, stitching or compressing. A commonly used process is to crimp metal mesh by passing it through roller to produce a diagonal or herring-bone pattern. This gives the mesh additional depth, usually between 4mm and 12mm.
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| Rishikesh Rishikesh Wire Knitting Machines
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Knitting Machines have four main points of interest :
A : The spool or spools of material to be knit
B : The filament/strand feeder
Material strands are pulled from the feeder spools, channelled through the strand feeder, and knit by the needles held in the cylinder head. The knit material is then drawn through and stored for further processing.
Changing the number of feeder spools, strand feeders and set-up, and size, arrangement and number of needles in the cylinder head enables various types of mesh to be knit.
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| Types of Knitted Mesh
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| All-metal mesh
WireKnitting is usually specified by the number of stitches per cm. The range of meshes is considerable but for practical purposes these are from 0.5 stitches per cm to 6 stitches per cm or this can be design as per the Wire dimeter and mesh desity requested by customer.
WireKnitting can be grouped into five broad categories: fine, medium-fine, standard, coarse and super-coarse, but these divisions can cover a wide range of products.
Using various filament diameters and mesh sizes, along with different crimping, calendaring, folding, layering and rolling processes, the product scope is almost unlimited.
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| Plastic and fibre mesh
WireKnitting can also be produced in plastic and other fibres - the most commonly used being polypropylene, Hostaflon, TeflonŽ, glass wool, silver, gold, platinum, titanium, sisal, polyester, silica yarn etc.
The figures given for the number of stitches per cm are only approximate, as many variables can significantly affect the stitch size.
Filaments for fine meshes are circular in section. However for standard, coarse and extra coarse meshes, we can use circular section or flattened section filaments which increase the surface area.
The table opposite shows only the most commonly used meshes. A more comprehensive range is available, and we can knit various extruded monofilaments as well, or spun fibres.
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| Fine Mesh |
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| Typical Wire diameter (mm) |
Range of natural width (mm) |
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| 0.05 - 0.15
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6 - 165
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| Typical number of stitches per cm on length
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Typical number of stitches per cm across lay flat
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| 3.5
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4.4
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| Medium-Fine Mesh |
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| Typical Wire diameter (mm) |
Range of natural width (mm) |
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| 0.15
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40 - 635
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| Typical number of stitches per cm on length
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Typical number of stitches per cm across lay flat
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| 2.4
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3.5
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| Standard Mesh |
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| Typical Wire diameter (mm) |
Range of natural width (mm) |
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| 0.2 - 0.35
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30 - 1000
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| Typical number of stitches per cm on length
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Typical number of stitches per cm across lay flat
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| 0.6
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1.9
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| Coarse Mesh |
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| Typical Wire diameter (mm) |
Range of natural width (mm) |
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| 0.2 - 0.35
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30 - 550
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| Typical number of stitches per cm on length
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Typical number of stitches per cm across lay flat
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| 1.6
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0.74
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| Super-Coarse Mesh |
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| Typical Wire diameter (mm) |
Range of natural width (mm) |
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| 0.4 - 0.6
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330 - 350
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| Typical number of stitches per cm on length
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Typical number of stitches per cm across lay flat
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| 0.5
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0.5
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| Materials
Almost any material that can be drawn into a Wire or a filament can be used to produce a knitted mesh.
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| The most commonly used Wires, filaments and yarns are listed in the table opposite, however please contact us if the material you need is not shown.
Round Wires from 0.11mm to 0.35mm diameter are most commonly knitted, but for special applications it is possible to knit Wire as small as 0.03mm or as large as 0.9mm in diameter.
Flattened Wires and multi-filament Knitting can be used to increase surface area. |
| Stainless Steel grade 304, 316, 321, 310 & 310S
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Tin Plated Copper Clad Steel |
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| Galvanised Steel
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Mild Steel |
| Monel
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Copper |
| Aluminium
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Tinned Copper |
| Nickel Plated Copper
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Silver Clad Copper |
| Phosphor Bronze
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Brass |
| Nickel
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Inconel1 600 & 601 |
| Incoloy DS & 825
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Molybdenum |
| Titanium
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Hastelloy1 |
| Fecralloy
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Platinum |
| Silver Alloy
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Alloy 20 |
| Hostaflon
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Teflon FEP4 |
| Glass Wool
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Polypropylene |
| Kevlar
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Silica Yarn |
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| Performance
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| Any material that can be drawn or spun into filament form can be used to produce a knitted mesh structure for use in the manufacture of our products including:
Stainless steel - for long life, temperature and corrosion resistance
Galvanised steel - for low cost, less demanding applications
Aluminium - for numerous aerospace, military and nuclear applications
Copper - in compressed form, for breathers and nickel filters
Nickel and copper nickel alloys - for use in marine or saline environments
Polypropylene - lightweight, inexpensive and corrosion resistant
Hostaflon and Teflon FEP - fluoro polymers for excellent performance in acidic environments
Hostaflon and Teflon FEP -for the filtration of very fine particles
Plastic / multi-filaments -for high-efficiency applications and noise reduction
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| Multi-Strand Knitting
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WireKnitting manufacturing techniques mean it is possible to knit more than one strand or filament material into a mesh product.
Hand-Knitting and simple Machines-Knitting techniques mean a single strand or filament makes up the entire garment.
By modifying cylinder feeders, spool positions and the materials used, It is possible to produce a vast array of multi-filament, co-knit, and multi-strand meshes.
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| Multi-Filament Mesh |
Co-Knit Mesh |
Multi-Strand Mesh |
Multi-Layer Mesh |
| Simple Machines-knit mesh has a single strand or filament in each knitted loop (as seen in Figure 1). Multi-filament mesh combines several strands of a similar material to form the loops (Figure 2). |
Co-knit mesh is similar to multi-filament mesh, but this time different materials are combined into each knitted loop (Figure 3). |
Multi-strand mesh is similar to single-loop Knitting, but in this case the knit layers are phased with different materials. Figure 4 shows a simple ABAB layering structure but more complex phasings are possible (ABAC... etc.) |
Mesh is usually knit as a single sock but it is possible to knit one sock of mesh inside another (Figure 5). |
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| Multi-Filament Mesh |
Co-Knit Glass fibre with Wire |
Multi-Strand Mesh |
Multi-Layer Mesh |
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