Expanded metal is made by a process of slit and stretch. A precision die slits and stretches the material in a single operation. The material is then processed through a set of rollers which adjusts the final thickness. The shape, form and number of openings are dictated by the particular tool used (See Die Chart for discussion on available dies).

 

The Tool selected dictates the Long Way of the Diamond (LWD), whereas the strand width and the Short Way of the Diamond (SWD) is machine adjustable and is selected based on the needs of the customer.

 

The expanded metal process.