Basic Wire Cloth and Wire Mesh Weaving Methods

The weave type is the manner in which warp (lengthwise with roll) and weft (across roll width) wires are interwoven. Each weave type has special advantages which must be considered when selecting the correct type for a specific application.  
  
Wire Cloth is woven in two general classifications, common (loom force crimped) or precrimped, both groups include a wide variety of distinct patterns.
 
  
Common Weaves
 
 
Specifications of 10 Mesh or finer are typically woven of smooth drawn wires which are "force crimped" into place during the weaving operation by the loom ram.
 
  
As the ram (often referred to as the beater) moves forward pushing the weft wire into position between the warp wires, both warp and weft wires are deformed (crimped) in a proportional relation to the wire tensile/yield strength.
 
Wire cloth is most frequently produced in common weave patterns as it is more economical in course to medium mesh production and essential in the production of fine mesh specifications.
 
  
Precrimped Weaves
 
 
Specifications coarser than 10 mesh are typically woven of wire that has been crimped before the weaving process.
  
Precrimped weaves are produced in two separate operations, first the wires (typically both warp and weft) are crimped (deformed) to suit the selected pattern and mesh count, then the "precrimped" wires are woven together on the loom.
 
The crimping operation may be accomplished through the use of a wheel crimper or a punch crimper.  The wheel crimper is more practical in finer mesh specifications and coarser mesh specifications on substantial quantity production runs. Punch crimping is most practical when working with larger diameter wire due to its strength, or when production requirements are limited.