5mm Stainless Steel Mesh

Are there other bridges like this in existence? Sounds like this material is written into the specs.

If you know of another bridge where this material was used, it might be worthwhile to track down the contractor and ask them.

Another option would be to contact the architects that designed and wrote the specs for the bridge. If you're real nice, they may give you some help. If it turns out that this material is just impossible to find, or way too cost prohibitive, I would also be keeping an eye out for something comparable and available. It's not easy to get it done, but specifications can be changed.

This situation is yet another example of the consequences of off-shoring our manufacturing base.

Thank You Kramarat.. you are right my search term was not quite right.. I have tried some of these but there is are new ones there. issue is the wire diameter but i will try the the new ones and see.

feel bit foolish now..

what was really required was an outside view to redefine what i was looking for..

thanks

No reason to feel foolish. Putting fresh eyes on a problem is what this site is all about. Good luck!

One more thing that's worth a mention. When you do your google search, don't forget to click the "images" button on the upper left and browse the thumbnails. A picture is worth a thousand words, and can often lead you to exactly where you need to be.

The satin finish on stainless steel or any other metal is done with brushes. Each strained would have to be brushed before woven. I do not think there is much demand for it to be done. That's why the high cost if you can find it.

The people that put specs on paper should look at the availability of materials and cost before they confirm that is what they want.

If you can find the screen to the specs you want. Have it taken some where that can sand blast it with a very fine grit medium. Have them sand blast it as close as possible holding the nozzle parallel to the screen. Do a sample first and have approved. Maybe the close you will get to a satin finish.

Hello:

Can you verify your specs? Such a mesh would be so heavy, tight and thick that I'd think it was designed for something else, not balustrades; it would seem to be intended for light traffic or heavy loads support.

Have some pictures?

(If someone else has solidworks, a model of this mesh would be appreciated).

Regards

It is Stainless Steel grade 316 satin finish, woven wire mesh with 12mm aperture and 5mm diameter wire. it is the infill panel for the balustrade. Deck is precast concrete with 300mm parapet to mount the balustrade on.

Buttons -

A possibly cheaper alternative - if permitted - would be flattened expanded metal. Also available in stainless, and could be sandblasted for a satin finish - looks nice, prolly stronger for unit weight.

Yep, #9 it is. Nickel or chrome plated, normal steel, expanded mesh. The mesh is cheap and available, so is the plating for the panels.

If your in the states, Nichols may be able to help you with either what your looking for or something close. _{as always not connected just a shopper, consumer.}

Good find. I like their little tagline on the right. "The Hole Story".

I think I saw that movie.

From the outset, I thought that is a very thick wire for such a small opening in woven construction - especially in 316.

I would be inclined to check if one or other figure is 'miss translated'.

The nearest, so far, seems to be on the McNichols site linked above.

link

Still, the wire is a little over half the diameter sought - and its 304.

Personally, I wouldn't specify 12 mm (half inch) as kiddies fingers can get trapped in it.

But I'm not an architect.

I'm guess the "mark-space" ratio is driven by the need to let the wind through without putting too much lateral load on the bridge structure.

If you're still having problems, you could look for and offer to your client punched sheet. We use a lot of punch perforated 304 (and some 316L) sheet. If I remember correctly (it's been a while since I needed to know!) the open area is approximately 30% using ~6 mm (~1/4") holes. These are in the "self-coloured" finish, i.e. as the metal comes off the rollers, smooth but dull. We have other sheets (304 again) punched with 1 - 2" holes in Bright Annealed (not quite mirror finish but very shiny) and shipped with a polycoat (sticky plastic) covering to prevent scratches in transit.

The perf is used internally, the BA as heat shields on vertical exhaust stacks on trucks - I've been here too long as I no longer spot them on the motorway.

If the panels are not structural, I'd look to reduce the wire diameter and hence the weight, reducing the loading on the bridge structure. The panels would then also be easier to manufacture (and therefore cheaper to buy!).

A plain mesh sounds very utilitarian. Is there any scope to find a manufacturer that makes something similar to woven willow panels in metal? Something with a bit of character? Just a thought.

Or you take the US railing standard. Kids should not be able to push thru their head in the opening. Baked-on powdercoating in any durable color you may wish for.

Now you have 3 lower cost alternative to chose from. Great!

An aside. Rose's solution comes as surplus off punching presses after washers are produced. How much cheaper can you get?!?

As an aside - you are wrong about the washer side.

As for the 'choices'; Perforated, or expanded metal, is the wrong choice for wind and would need a thorough and costly de-burr to be finger safe.

However, thanks for the reinforcement on there are Standards that apply.

Hi 34, always interested to learn something.

Why is perf wrong, when mesh is right?

Harmonics and dampening, but basically;

Woven tends to self damp by friction losses, whereas a sheet is still a 'wobble board'.

There is also a difference in moment of inertia and 'openness' for the same mass/area.

And a difference in the vortexes produced by a hole verses a round wire.

But how much of what characteristic is wanted, depends on the bridge.

Riveted diagonal lattice is also a choice and can be structural.

I was thinking about that as I typed. The perf has a rough and a smooth side - and it matters which way it's rolled. Ideally the smooth side should be to the air flow (in an exhaust) to reduce noise.

I have seen bridges with (non-load bearing) perforated panels in - most probably laser cut.

I thought a whistling bridge would be a tourist attraction!

Nice irregular sort of patten across each panel? External stiffeners?

Whistling could be fun - just stay away from the real low notes

Small panels (3' high by 4' low, approx). I didn't look for stiffeners. Thinking back, I'm not sure how thick the panels were. The wobble board issue goes away if you've spec'ed ½" or greater thickness...LOL

GA on your previous comment.

Another solution I've seen used is round steel spindles vertically between deck and balustrade, with steel wire/rope (¼-½" diameter) running horizontally in pairs and twisted either side of each spindle. Not sure if the wire tension was instrisic to bridge integrity on those, but it has the potential.

The steel rope is "polished" coated to be aesthetically pleasing and doesn't look like it came off the crane drum...

Darn it, now I'm going to be looking at the design of every bridge I see in much more detail....

Weeell, I have forgotten. When holes (washers) are punched, razor sharp edges are left behind. They need to be blunted by an extra step, before the public can touch it.

Thought that might be it. That is why I suggested sandblasting - & to get the satin finish.

In the McNichols master catalog on page 41 gives the stock mesh sizes also how to order non-stock sizes. Page 43 gives there ranges they can do. For what your looking for they have a size very close to your wire dia and space opening. You may even get them to do a turn key on your panel design so there no fab work on site. You could just install them.