Micro expanded metal mesh is a metal material manufactured using an expansion and stretching process that offers many advantages. Compared to a metal sheet of the same size, micro expanded metal mesh is considerably lighter, which makes it widely used in many fields. In addition, micro expanded metal mesh has a stronger structure of its own, which allows it to withstand greater pressures and loads.
In the aerospace field, micro expanded metal mesh is widely used in the manufacture of satellites, spacecraft, and other space equipment. Its excellent shielding performance can effectively prevent electromagnetic interference and radiation and protect the equipment from damage. In addition, in the field of wind power generation, micro expanded metal mesh is also widely used in the manufacture of wind turbines, and its excellent heat transfer performance can effectively improve the efficiency of wind turbines.
Due to the altitude at which airplanes and wind turbines fly, they are easy targets for lightning strikes. However, aircraft fuselages and blades are very expensive and can cause huge financial losses when struck by lightning. To solve this problem, micro expanded metal mesh provides excellent lightning protection. It can be embedded in composite materials to provide dissipation channels for electrical currents, thus protecting them from lightning strikes.
In composite aircraft structures, micro expanded metal foil is the preferred material for lightning strike protection. In the event of a lightning strike, while the aircraft is in the air, the micro expanded metal foil dissipates the lightning and prevents damage to the fuselage composites. Engineers can select different materials to minimize overall weight depending on the specific areas of the aircraft that could be struck. A common requirement is that the selected material must be able to withstand currents of up to 200,000 amperes from a 1A zone strike. Such a design can effectively protect aircraft and wind turbines from damage caused by lightning strikes.
When a wind blade is struck by lightning, the unprotected blade experiences an electrical arc from the point of contact through the conductive components to the root of the structure, which can cause component temperatures to reach up to 30,000 °C (approximately 54,000 °F) and potentially cause the blade to explode. To avoid this, micro expanded metal foil mesh can be used to protect these composite structures, ensuring that the functionality of the component is not compromised.
Lightning strike mesh, on the other hand, is made of copper and aluminum foils that are cut and stretched (expanded) to form a single, uniform, precision nonwoven structure. The manufacturing process is tightly controlled to meet weight, conductivity, and open area requirements. This design provides higher conductivity and a smoother surface than woven mesh, which improves component moldability and adhesion to the composite structure.
Lightning strike mesh is manufactured with great precision to ensure consistent weight, conductivity, and open area. This design provides higher conductivity than traditional woven wire mesh and a smoother surface, which improves the moldability of the component and enhances its adhesion to the composite structure.
| Item | LWD mm |
SWD mm |
Strand Width mm |
Open Area % |
Coverage % |
Overall Thickness mm |
Material Width mm |
Resistance mΩ/m2 |
Area Weight g/m2 |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SWD | LWD | |||||||||
| AL66 | 2.540 | 1.235 | 0.32 | 55 | 45 | 0.300 | 927 | ≤ 5.708 | ≤ 1.520 | 66 |
| AL78 | 2.540 | 1.310 | 0.16 | 55 | 45 | 0.224 | 927 | ≤ 4.120 | ≤ 1.232 | 78 |
| AL137 | 2.540 | 1.380 | 0.28 | 60 | 40 | 0.344 | 927 | ≤ 5.770 | ≤ 1.800 | 137 |
| CU73 | 2.540 | 1.250 | 0.11 | 80 | 20 | 0.176 | 930 | ≤ 10.080 | ≤ 2.920 | 73 |
| CU142 | 2.540 | 1.240 | 0.16 | 80 | 20 | 0.079 | 930 | ≤ 5.500 | ≤ 1.470 | 142 |
| CU195 | 2.540 | 1.340 | 0.24 | 65 | 35 | 0.280 | 930 | ≤ 3.600 | ≤ 1.100 | 195 |
| CU815F | 3.000 | 1.500 | 0.35 | 45 | 55 | 0.254 | 610 | ≤ 1.000 | ≤ 0.340 | 815 |
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