Wire mesh is welded using a semi-automatic process that welds the intersections of the woven wires. Welding machines are programmed to weld the intersections at the horizontal and vertical aligned wires. Several welding techniques are used to join the connections, including resistance welding, tungsten inert gas (TIG) welding, plasma welding, and soldering.
- Weld Mesh Machine — The process of wire mesh welding begins with feeding wires into a weld mesh machine, which is much like the heddle frames and reeds of wire weaving.
- Wire Spools — Separate spools of wire are fed through a straightener. Pre-cut wires that match the dimensions of the wire mesh are placed separately from the wires fed from the spools. Since the wires are coming off spools, whether pre-cut or fed from them, they are mechanically straightened to lay flat on the welding surface.
- Mechanical Placement — The pre-cut wires are laid flat across the wires being fed from the spools. The wires are perpendicular to each other at right angles in mesh welding.
- Welding — Once the wires are positioned, the programmed welding process begins and applies a uniform weld at each cross-section.
- Process Completion — The collection of the final wire mesh from the welding process can be in rolls, like wire weaving, or sheets that are trimmed to size and placed in piles of wire mesh panels.
Welded mesh is heavier, sturdier, and stronger than woven wire mesh and can only be used with thicker wires that are capable of withstanding the welding process. Since the wire is welded, it is more rigid and durable, which makes it ideal for fencing, cages, and concrete mesh sheets.
