Steel wire rope - welding or pressing

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the construction of a wire mesh using 2mm steel wire rope, focusing on methods to secure the wires at intersections to prevent movement under pressure. Participants also explore the cut-resistance of steel wire rope compared to single-thread steel wire.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • One participant inquires whether welding or using clips would be a better method for securing the wires in a mesh to prevent spreading under pressure.
  • Another participant suggests that welding may be problematic due to the nature of wire rope, recommending U-bolts or rebar wire twists as alternatives to allow for movement and distribute impact.
  • A different viewpoint indicates that steel wire ties could be effective, especially if the mesh is coated, and mentions that welding may not work well with spun cables.
  • One participant proposes unlaying wires at alternate intersections and using a sheet bend or weaver's hitch to secure them, suggesting that handwork is feasible with 2mm cable.
  • Another participant questions the necessity of constructing the mesh from scratch, noting that pre-made options are widely available and discussing the strength of wire rope in tension compared to single strands.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express differing opinions on the best method to secure the wire mesh, with no consensus reached on whether welding or alternative methods are preferable. The discussion remains unresolved regarding the optimal approach for construction and the comparison of cut-resistance between wire types.

Contextual Notes

Participants highlight various assumptions about the properties of steel wire rope and the challenges associated with welding, but these assumptions are not universally agreed upon. The discussion includes multiple perspectives on securing methods and their implications for strength and functionality.

bbtide
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Hello,

I'm a complete laymen as far as any material science goes (engineering too), but i need Your help please.

I have w steel wire rope, 2mm in diameter. i need to know two things:

1) i need to make make a "wire mesh", the simplest plain weave. however, i must make it in such a way, so that individual wires do not move in relation to each other (no spreading) when an object presses on the mesh. what is the better way to do it? simply weld at the intersections or apply some kind of clips and press the wires together? would one of those methods be less damaging than the other?

2) is steel wire rope more or less cut-resistant (assuming the same kind of force and sharp object) than the regular, single-thread steel wire (the same kind of steel)?

basically my problem is that the mesh must be as strong as possible and i need to know what would be the best method to achieve it. Thank You very much in advance.
 
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Welding steel wire is going to be tricky, you are either only going to weld to the top few strands - or you will fill it with so much weld - well just urggghhh.

You want the wires to be able to move to spread the impact, something like U-bolts or rebar wire twists would probably be best.
 
Steel wire ties will do the job if the mesh is to be coated in something. The main use of the wire ties for re-bar is to hold it in position until the concrete is able to hold it together.

Welding is a bad idea for a spun cable because it is not one solid piece and never welds nicely. There are some forms of stainless attachment that I have seen, which it is 2 clamps attached 90 degrees to each other, and are able to hold the two pieces of wire together.
 
Unlay the wires at alternate intersections. Tie a sheet bend/weavers hitch at each intersection (like a hammock). It is only 2 mm cable and reasonably amenable to handwork.
 
Why not just purchase it already made? There are thousands of options as far as wire diameter and percent open area that you can choose from. Granted, wire rope is always going to be stronger in tension than a single strand of equal diameter. However, the different failure modes may be such that that is not important.
 

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