What protective measures should be taken when stainless steel perforated mesh is stretched?

When deep-processing stainless steel perforated mesh—specifically through stretching—adding an appropriate lubricant can have a significant effect. The lubricant forms a thin film with a certain degree of toughness and elongation between the upper and lower dies, thus benefiting the deep-drawing process and extending the lifespan of the stainless steel perforated mesh.

For stainless steel perforated mesh products with large stretching deformation and difficult forming, polyvinyl fluoride (PVC) film can be used as a lubricant during actual stretching operations. PVC film has good tear resistance, a certain degree of toughness and elongation, and is easy to clean.

After applying a dry film, the dry film deforms along with the blank during the deep-drawing process, separating the perforated mesh from the die. Furthermore, the film itself has a certain porosity and numerous fiber cracks, allowing it to retain a certain amount of lubricating oil. Therefore, this film is equivalent to a dry film lubricant. This lubrication method effectively isolates the deformed stainless steel perforated mesh from the die surface, providing excellent lubrication and improving the service life of the punching die and punch, the product yield, and the aesthetic appearance of the mesh.

Other simple preventative measures include using white cast iron as the blank holder mold, as white cast iron has good oil retention properties and easily forms a lubricating oil film; using a tapered blank holder; and smoothing the edges of the stainless steel perforated mesh to remove micro-cracks and gaps, which can also effectively prevent the stainless steel perforated mesh from cracking during stretching.