Micro Expanded Metal for Automotive Manufacturing &Maintenance

During automotive manufacturing and maintenance, the auto spare parts is critical to whole automotive performance. Even the small bearing can affect the customer experience feeling and car service life.

Micro expanded metals are widely used in Automotive manufacturing and aftermarket. The micro expanded metal has versatile choice and configuration variability to be used as supporting material, protective material and lubricating material and filter screens to enhance automotive performance and extend spare part service life.

Compare to the typical extruded material, sintered material or woven material, the expanded metal adopts unique slit and stretch technology, which is no waste material and will not unravel during processing to make it be economical and cost-effective alternative choice. Additional, wide ranges of opening, structures (2D or 3D structure), thickness, open areas configurations make it possible to be used more applications.

Bushing

The phosphor bronze micro expanded metal is used as the support structure of PTFE and then added with the aluminum or steel backing material to form the current bushing. This type of bushing is low friction, oil-less and can withstand extreme load and continual abuse and can be used in every moving part within the automobile. Additionally, it is widely used in the trunk, hood hinges, seat backs, door hinges and light suspension components for higher dusty and heavier suspension components on light trucks and off-road equipment.

Micro Expanded Metal for Automotive Bushing
Type	Raised/3D	Flattened/2D
Material	CUSN6	CUSN6
Weight	270 g/m²	255 g/m²
LWD	2 mm	2 mm
SWD	1.5 mm	1.6 mm
Overall Thickness	0.4±0.05 mm	0.17±0.01 mm
Width	320 mm	320 mm
Length	700 m	700 m

Several pieces of micro expanded metal automotive bushing on white background.

Airbag Filter Screen

The airbag is an important component of a motor vehicle's occupant resistant system. The micro expanded metal as the support and filter material can guarantee operational reliability in fluctuating conditions and compensate for thermal expansion in the airbag. it also performs the functions of heat dissipation, filtration and flow distribution.

The micro expanded metal airbag filter screen is widely used in driver, front-passenger, back seat, head, side, knee and seat belt airbags.

Material	low carbon steel
Pattern	Raised/2D
LWD	3 mm
SWD	2.1 mm
Thickness	0.5 mm
Strand Width	0.45 mm
Width	170 mm
length	30–500 m

Several pieces of micro expanded metal automotive airbag filter screen on white background.

Speaker Grilles

Micro expanded metal can be made into different shapes and sizes to match with the speakers on the automotive (door and front speakers). it can not only help to prevent debris and dust from entering the speakers, protect critical element from external impact, extend speaker service life and will perform positive effect to the sound quality.

Micro Expanded Metal for Speaker Grilles
Item	Thickness (mm)	Strand Width (mm)	SWD (mm)	LWD (mm)	Width (mm)
YASG-01	0.5	0.5	1.5	2.5	150–500
YASG-02	0.5	0.5	1.7	2.8	150–500
YASG-03	0.5	0.5	2.1	3	150–600
YASG-04	0.5	0.5	3	4.5	150–600
Material: Low Carbon steel. Surface treatment: powder coating.

A piece of speaker grille is installed on the car door.

Brake Pad Mesh

Micro expanded metal is spot welded or full welded to the backing plate of brake pad. This type of brake mesh is called steel mesh back plates or weld mesh steel plates. They are widely used as backing plate for medium, heavy duty brake pads of commercial vehicles. It can help provide mechanical retention for friction material. And the unique opening pattern can increase shear strength and pad life.

A piece of steel mesh back plates of automotive is on white background.

Air Inlet Screen

Micro expanded metal is an important protective material in automotive inlet system. Precious openings can filter out debris, small particles and guarantee the normal airflow. Micro expanded metal is widely used in radiator, brake cooling inlets, engine air intakes. Besides, it can be used in the bumper, body kit, fender hood vent, vehicle openings as the protective material.