Perforated and Expanded Sheet Materials

Perforated sheet materials and expanded sheet materials are used as screens in separators, walkways, sunscreens, ventilation, and decorative coverings. Perforated sheet materials and expanded sheet materials are often composed of different metal alloys, but materials can also include some plastics such as polypropylene. Typical metal alloys used in perforated sheet materials and expanded sheet materials include stainless or galvanized steel and aluminum.

Perforated sheet materials and expanded sheet materials are used in many applications, from heavy industrial to decorative. Perforated sheet materials and expanded sheet material comes punched in many configurations, including round, square, or hexagonal holes, slots, or special ornamental shapes. Metal perforated sheets are used as filters, grills, and guards in industrial applications, or as screens and panels in architectural applications. Aluminum perforated sheet materials are very versatile because of their lightweight construction and are used as diffusers in light fixtures and even in cookware. Wire mesh is an alternative to a metal perforated sheet, but tends to be lightweight, flexible, and not as durable as other perforated and expanded sheet material. Perforated polypropylene is also available and is corrosion-resistant as well as antimagnetic and antistatic, making it useful in clean rooms or laboratories.

Other perforated sheet materials and expanded sheet materials include solid metal sheets that are cut uniformly and expanded or stretched to create diamond-shaped holes. The metal sheet is slit so that the diamond shapes are offset from each other and form a uniform, mesh-like configuration. Expanded metal sheets are lightweight and easily formed for use as grills, filters, or diffusers. Heavy-duty expanded material is used for industrial ramps and walkways, such as catwalks or gangways. Expanded materials comes in two typical configurations, standard or regular, and flattened. Flattened expanded material is constructed in the same way as standard expanded material, but is rolled by a flattening roll machine to give it a smoother surface.

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