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 Strand and Bond
Expanded metal is composed of strands and bonds. Strands form the sides of the expanded metal openings. Bonds are where the strands intersect. In other words, the bond is where each diamond shaped opening is connected with the next opening. |
 SWD
SWD (Short Way of the Diamond) is the distance from the middle of the bond on one side to the middle of the bond on the opposite side. |
lWD
 LWD (Long Way of the Diamond) is the distance across the largest dimension of the diamond measured halfway between the diamonds. |
 SWO
SWO (Short Way of the Opening) is the width of the opening of the shortest side of the diamond. SWO does not include the strand width, where SWD (Short Way of the Diamond) does.
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 LWO
LWO (Long Way of the Opening) is the length of the opening of the longest side of the diamond. LWO does not include the strand width, where LWD (Long Way of the Diamond) does. |
Open Area
Expanded metal contains open spaces (the diamond-shaped openings) and material. Open area is the total area of the diamond openings divided by the total area of the sheet or roll of expanded metal and is expressed as a percent. In other words, open area describes how much of the expanded metal is open space. If expanded metal has a 60 percent open area, then 60 percent of the expanded metal is open space and 40 percent is material. |
 Gauge or Thickness
Thickness is the measurement from the top surface to bottom surface of the expanded metal piece. Gauge is the most common measurement, but thickness can also be measured in fractional inches or millimeters. This gauges and weights chart can provide additional information. |
 Width and Length
Length is the measure of the longest side of the expanded metal sheet or cut-to-size piece. Width is the measure of the shortest side of the sheet or cut-to-size piece. |
Determining SWD, LWD Direction
The illustration to the right shows the correct way to designate SWD and LWD dimensions in relation to the length or width.
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Stock sheets are like the one shown above
LWD Direction
Parallel to Length |
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LWD Direction
Parallel to Width |
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Shearing Types
Bond Shearing- The material is cut on or near the center of the bond eliminating prongs or jagged edges.  Bond shearing is only possible if the dimensions fall directly between bonds. If a bond shear is not possible and you want a smooth edge, U-edging can be installed.
Random Shearing - The material is cut wherever the dimensions fall. This type of cut may leave jagged edges, prongs, and incomplete design patterns.
There are tolerances associated with shearing.
 Stock sheets are bond sheared (machine run) on all four sides, except that some flattened patterns may result in one random shear along the LWD. Cut-to-size pieces may be:
· Bond sheared on all four sides LWD & SWD
· Random sheared all four sides LWD & SWD
· Bond sheared SWD and Random sheared LWD
· Bond Sheared LWD and Random sheared SWD
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