TS-HDEM Lines--Heavy Duty Expanded Metal Grating Used in Ramps
(People Ramps, Wheelchair Ramps, Vehicle Access Ramps, Trailer Ramps and Loading Ramps)
Brief Description of Expanded Metal
Expanded metal is a rigid and non-raveling piece of metal that has been slit and expanded. In the expanding process, metal can be expanded ten times its original size, lose up to 80% of its weight, becoming stronger and more rigid. No material is lost in the manufacturing process.
Tec-Sieve is a leading manufacturer and exporter of all raised and flat (flattened) expanded metal.
Raised (Standard or Regular) Expanded Metal Flat (Flattened) Expanded Metal
Expanded metal can be manufactured in mild steel, galvanized steel, stainless steel and aluminum.
General Terminology for Expanded Metal
1. Raised (Standard) Expanded Metal
Raised (Standard) expanded metal is the form the product takes when it goes through the expanding process. The strands and bonds (knuckles) are set at a uniform angle to the plane of the sheet. This adds strength and rigidity, allows air circulation, and distributes the load on the metal to the supporting frames. No additional pressing operations are needed.
BOND (KNUCKLE): A bond (knuckle) is the intersection of two strands, and it is always the width of two strands.
Overall Thickness: The actual measurement of the thickness of the mesh measured at the bond (knuckle).
STRAND THICKNESS: A strand means an individual slit metal strip. In Raised (Standard) Expanded Metal, stand thickness is the gauge or thickness of the sheet or coil from which the expanded metal was produced.
STRAND WIDTH: A strand means an individual slit metal strip. In Raised (Standard) Expanded Metal, strand width is the feed length of metal that is passed through the expanding machine, which is slit and stretched with each stroke of the upper die.
LWD: LWD is short for Long Way of Design or Long Way of Diamond. LWD is the distance from a point on a bond (knuckle) to a corresponding point on the following bond (knuckle) measured across the long way of the diamond shaped hole. LWD is also referred to as ''pitch LWD''.
SWD: SWD is short for Short Way of Design or Short Way of Diamond. SWD is the distance from a point on a bond (knuckle) to a corresponding point on the following bond (knuckle) measured across the short way of the diamond shaped hole. SWD is also referred to as ''pitch SWD''.
LWO: LWO is short for Long Way of Opening. LWO means the distance measured from the inside of the bond (knuckle) across to the inside of the bond (knuckle) LWD.
SWO: SWO is short for Short Way of Opening. SWO means the distance measured from the inside of the bond (knuckle) across to the inside of the bond (knuckle) SWD.
Schematic Diagram of Raised Expanded Metal
2. Flat (Flattened) Expanded Metal
Flat (Flattened) expanded metal is a metal that has been cold flattened, thus leaving a smooth, flat surface with diamond shaped openings. During this process, the length of the sheet is elongated, usually by about five percent. After the expanded metal has been flattened, the expanded sheet is then sent through a leveler to maintain its flatness.
BOND (KNUCKLE): A bond (knuckle) is the intersection of two strands, and it is always the width of two strands.
Overall Thickness: The actual measurement of the thickness of the mesh measured at the bond (knuckle).
The Overall thickness of Flattened Expanded Metal is the overall thickness of the finished sheet.
STRAND THICKNESS: A strand means an individual slit metal strip. In Flat (Flattened) Expanded Metal, stand thickness is actually the overall thickness of the flattened expanded metal sheet or coil.
STRAND WIDTH: A strand means an individual slit metal strip. In Flat (Flattened) Expanded Metal, strand width is actually the width of the strand.
LWD: LWD is short for Long Way of Design or Long Way of Diamond. LWD is the distance from a point on a bond (knuckle) to a corresponding point on the following bond (knuckle) measured across the long way of the diamond shaped hole. LWD is also referred to as ''pitch LWD''.
SWD: SWD is short for Short Way of Design or Short Way of Diamond. SWD is the distance from a point on a bond (knuckle) to a corresponding point on the following bond (knuckle) measured across the short way of the diamond shaped hole. SWD is also referred to as ''pitch SWD''.
LWO: LWO is short for Long Way of Opening. LWO means the distance measured from the inside of the bond (knuckle) across to the inside of the bond (knuckle) LWD.
SWO: SWO is short for Short Way of Opening. SWO means the distance measured from the inside of the bond (knuckle) across to the inside of the bond (knuckle) SWD.
Schematic Diagram of Flattened Expanded Metal
What is Heavy Duty Expanded Metal Grating?
Heavy Duty Expanded Metal Grating is a standard expanded metal pattern usually produced from heavier gauge low carbon steel plates, however heavier gauge aluminum plates can also be used to produce Heavy Duty Expanded Metal Grating sheets when light weight is the first consideration, and heavier gauge stainless steel plates can also be used to make Heavy Duty Expanded Metal Grating sheets if Heavy Duty Expanded Metal Grating sheets will be used in wet environments.
Heavy Duty Expanded Metal Gratings have high bearing capacity.
Expanded metal gratings are produced by slitting and stretching the metal plate in one operation creating an anti-skid surface with large openings. This anti-slip surface creates a safe foothold to walk and stand. It allows unwanted material to pass through the openings enhancing walkway cleanliness.
Technical Specifications of Heavy Duty Expanded Metal Gratings in Low Carbon Steel from Tec-Sieve
Model
No. |
Thickness of
Steel Sheets (mm) |
Nominal Size of Diamond Opening (mm) |
Theoretical Weight
(kgs/m2) |
SWD
(mm) |
LWD
(mm) |
Strand
(Strand Width, mm) |
| TS-HDEM221025 |
2 |
10 |
25 |
2 |
4.10 |
| TS-HDEM2.52.51530 |
2.5 |
15 |
30 |
2.5 |
7.06 |
| TS-HDEM332040 |
3 |
20 |
40 |
3 |
7.40 |
| TS-HDEM332550 |
3 |
25 |
50 |
3 |
5.93 |
| TS-HDEM332460 |
3 |
24 |
60 |
3 |
6.18 |
| TS-HDEM333060 |
3 |
30 |
60 |
3 |
4.95 |
| TS-HDEM462040 |
4 |
20 |
40 |
6 |
18.48 |
| TS-HDEM442460 |
4 |
24 |
60 |
4 |
10.90 |
| TS-HDEM443060 |
4 |
30 |
60 |
4 |
8.70 |
| TS-HDEM443280 |
4 |
32 |
80 |
4 |
8.16 |
| TS-HDEM444080 |
4 |
40 |
80 |
4 |
6.53 |
| TS-HDEM4438100 |
4 |
38 |
100 |
4 |
6.87 |
| TS-HDEM4450100 |
4 |
50 |
100 |
4 |
6.54 |
| TS-HDEM4.552460 |
4.5 |
24 |
60 |
5 |
16.06 |
| TS-HDEM4.563080 |
4.5 |
30 |
80 |
6 |
14.13 |
| TS-HDEM4.5636100 |
4.5 |
36 |
100 |
6 |
11.15 |
| TS-HDEM552460 |
5 |
24 |
60 |
5 |
16.20 |
| TS-HDEM553060 |
5 |
30 |
60 |
5 |
12.93 |
| TS-HDEM553280 |
5 |
32 |
80 |
5 |
12.15 |
| TS-HDEM554080 |
5 |
40 |
80 |
5 |
9.71 |
| TS-HDEM5538100 |
5 |
38 |
100 |
5 |
10.22 |
| TS-HDEM5550100 |
5 |
50 |
100 |
5 |
7.78 |
| TS-HDEM662040 |
6 |
20 |
40 |
6 |
27.55 |
| TS-HDEM6650100 |
6 |
50 |
100 |
6 |
11.23 |
| TS-HDEM6638100 |
6 |
38 |
100 |
6 |
14.78 |
| TS-HDEM7840100 |
7 |
40 |
100 |
8 |
21.98 |
| TS-HDEM7858150 |
7 |
58 |
150 |
8 |
15.16 |
| TS-HDEM7978200 |
7 |
78 |
200 |
9 |
12.68 |
| TS-HDEM8940100 |
8 |
40 |
100 |
9 |
28.26 |
| TS-HDEM8958150 |
8 |
58 |
150 |
9 |
19.48 |
Important Note:
Any other specifications of heavy duty expanded metal grating sheets with reasonable technical parameters, including LWM and SWM, are also available upon request.
About the Overall Size of Heavy Duty Expanded Metal Grating Sheets
LWM (Width): Less than 4000mm
SWM (Length): Customizable
How to Shear Heavy Duty Expanded Metal Grating Sheets?
It is known to everyone that the overall size of each sheet of heavy duty expanded metal grating consists of its length and width.
At Tec-Sieve, we have defined exactly that SWM means the length of each sheet of heavy duty expanded metal grating, and LWM means the width thereof. Moreover, SWM is in the direction of SWD, whereas LWM is in the direction of LWD.
Most importantly, either of the length and the width is a relative concept. In some cases, the width (LWM) may be greater than the length (SWM).
Tec-Sieve can shear every piece of heavy duty expanded metal grating to your specifications.
In terms of the preparation of four edges, there are two basic shearing methods available at Tec-Sieve.
1. Bond Shearing
In the bond shearing process, the expanded metal sheet is cut, made parallel to the LWD dimension or to the SWD dimension, through the center line of the bonds resulting in closed diamonds at the four edges of the sheet.
The advantage of bond shearing is its ability to eliminating jagged edges and prongs.
At Tec-Sieve, our heavier-gauge metal sheets always come in a desirable original width and a desirable original length.
Therefore after expanding and levelling by using our state-of-the-art presses and levelling machines, the resultant LWM dimension (width) of heavy duty expanded metal grating sheets can be achieved with a closer tolerance (plus or minus 2mm), in this way no bond (or random) shearing should be made parallel to the SWD dimension, thus leaving closed diamonds at the two SWM edges.
However, after expanding and levelling by using our state-of-the-art presses and levelling machines, the resultant SWM dimension (length) of heavy duty expanded metal grating sheets will vary more with the actual leveling force, so in order to get closed diamonds at the two LWM edges, bond shearing must be made parallel to the LWD dimension, and it is inevitable for the SWM dimension (length) of heavy duty expanded metal grating sheets to have a greater tolerance at plus or minus 1/2 diamond dimension or design size.
2. Random Shearing
In the random shearing process, the expanded metal sheet is cut randomly according to the requested finished overall size (SWM x LWM), and in most cases the size (the SWM dimension or LWM dimension) requested may not coincide with a full multiple of the pitch SWD or pitch LWD, so the cut is made through diamonds resulting in partial diamonds (open diamonds) at one or more edges of the sheet. These partial diamonds often have sharp and exposed strands that should be protected with U-edging or framing.
The advantage of random shearing is its ability to obtain a closer tolerance for the SWM or LWM dimension.
At Tec-Sieve the tolerance for the SWM (length) of heavy duty expanded metal grating sheets in the random shearing process is only plus or minus 6.35mm.
As for many other light-duty types of standard or flattened expanded metal sheets, their tolerance for the SWM (length) in the random shearing process can reach down to plus or minus 2mm.
Applications of Heavy Duty Expanded Metal Grating
Catwalks
Walkways
Stair treads
Billboard platforms
Ski lift applications
Maintenance platforms
Store room gratings
Ramps
Fences
Concrete reinforcement
Heavy duty shelving
Off-shore rig flooring
Road crossings
Anti-slip flooring
Frequently Asked Questions about Expanded Metal-Part Four
Why Do Almost All Ramps Manufacturers Prefer to Utilize Expanded Metal Grating Sheets to Make Their Ramps?
Our expanded metal grating sheets have many advantages as below:
- Our raised (standard or regular) expanded metal grating sheets have a lot of knuckles, which are created during the metal expansion process. It is due to these raised knuckles that make our expanded grating sheets have anti-slip and (superb wheel) grip properties.
- Our raised (standard or regular) expanded metal grating sheets are made out of heavy gauge metal plates, but they are still lightweight as compared with the solid metal plates. They are produced by slitting and stretching the original metal plates, so they have no joints or welds and still retain their sturdiness as a single piece of metal, therefore they are robust and durable, and ideal for making ramps of all types.
- Our raised (standard or regular) expanded metal grating sheets have a lot of larger openings, usually diamond-shaped. These openings mean that surface water can easily drain away, reducing the risk of accidents. Meantime ice, snow and mud can easily break off underfoot for added protection.
- In terms of our expanded metal gratings used for making ramps of all types, our designers can custom design expanded metal gratings to offer aesthetic appeal and complement your existing structures. Our expanded metal gratings are available in a variety of materials including aluminium, carbon steel and stainless steel. We can also provide a range of coatings for added protection and corrosion resistance, such as galvanizing and polyester powder coating.
Due to the above facts, so almost all ramps manufacturers prefer to utilize expanded metal grating sheets to make their ramps. These ramps include without limitation people ramps, wheelchair ramps, vehicle access ramps, trailer ramps and loading ramps.
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