Perforated Metal Definitions
Aluminize: Hot-dipping sheets of metal in an aluminum-silicon alloy, giving it a polished finish as well as a higher resistance to corrosion
Anodizing: An electrolytic passivation process used to increase the thickness of the natural oxide layer on the surface of metal parts. Anodizing increases corrosion resistance and wear resistance, providing better adhesion for paint primers and glues than does bare metal.
Bar Size: The distance from one perforated hole to the next perforated hole
Blank: Sheet of perforated or unperforated material cut to size; sometimes including notches or cutouts
Bridge: The distance from one perforated hole to the next perforated hole
Camber: A slight convex curve of the material
Carbon Steel: The most common type of steel, which does not contain other alloying metals
Center Distance: Distance from the center of a hole to the center of the adjacent hole
Centers/Center to Center: Distance from the center of a hole to the center of the adjacent hole
Clear Coat (Anodizing): Clear anodizing is a process that creates a thin layer of aluminum oxide coating on aluminum metal without the use of dyes or pigments
Clear Coat (Powder Coat): A clear coat of powder coat protects the underlying finish and adds depth and luster to the surface without adding color or tone
Cold Rolled: A process in which the metal is rolled out at a temperature just below the point where it softens, making the metal stronger, stiffer, and more ductile
Copper: A bright lustrous reddish metal, copper is highly malleable and ductile. Copper is a great conductor of heat and electricity. It can be rolled into sheets, as well as turned into tubes, wires and rods. Copper can be alloyed with other metals to create things such as brass or bronze.
Corten: Also known as weathering steel, corten forms a rust-like appearance if exposed to the elements, needing no painting
CRS: Cold rolled steel
Daylight and Views: Initiative by the USGBC to provide occupants with a connection between indoor spaces and the outdoors through the introduction of daylight and views into the regularly occupied areas of the tenant space.
Daylighting: The practice of using natural light to illuminate building spaces by utilizing components like skylights, sunscreens and light shelves
Deburring: Finishing method used to remove the ragged edges or protrusions caused when metal is welded, molded, cast, trimmed, slit or sheared
Degreased: A sheet of metal that has undergone a finishing process to remove the grease
Duranar: A specialty plastic coating or finish in the fluoropolymer family generally used in applications requiring the highest purity, strength, and resistance to solvents, acids, bases and heat; also called PVDF. Specifically formulated to be applied to aluminum
E-coat: E-coating is an electropainting or electrophoretic lacquering process to deposit a paint or lacquer coating
Electrogalv: Zinc is applied to cold rolled steel to create the perfect undercoating for metals to be painted
End Margins: The distance from the end of the sheet to the first perforated section parallel to the end edge
End Patterns: How the end of the perforated pattern appears; can be either finished, unfinished, or symmetrical
Energy Load Reduction: Processes, materials, or products that reduce the amount of energy required to heat or cool a building
Feed Direction: The direction the perforated sheet or coil is fed into the perforating press resulting in the direction the perforation pattern is punched on to the material
Finished Ends: The end perforation pattern is solid and appears uniform or complete at the end of the sheet
G30: Galvanized steel coating with .30 percent zinc per square foot
G60: Galvanized steel coating with .60 percent zinc per square foot
G90: Galvanized steel coating with .90 percent zinc per square foot
Galvalume: Trademark for a special type of hot-dip galvanized steel sheet with a coating consisting of 55 per cent Aluminium, 43.4 per cent Zinc and 1.6 per cent Silicon.
Galvaneal: A heat-treated galvanized steel with a rougher texture and gray appearance, making it perfect for painting.
Galvanized: Steel that has been coated with zinc in order to prevent rusting and corrosion
Gauge: The thickness of the sheet metal is called its gauge. The gauge of sheet metal ranges from 30 gauge to about 8 gauge. The larger the gauge number, the thinner the metal
Grinding: Mechanical process utilized to remove rough or uneven areas on the perforated or fabricated metal surface to prepare the material for finishing
Hole Size: Diameter measurement of the perforation shape; measurement from side to side
Hot Rolled: A process in which the metal is rolled out at a high temperature in order to reduce its thickness
HRPO: Hot Rolled Pickled and Oiled Steel.
Hylar: A specialty plastic coating or finish in the fluoropolymer family generally used in applications requiring the highest purity, strength, and resistance to solvents, acids, bases and heat; also called PVDF. Specifically formulated to be applied to aluminum.
Inconel: High temperature alloys that aren’t corrosive and are best suited for extreme environments
Intermediate Margins: Unperforated areas inside the perforated sections used to achieve a particular design or appearance
Kynar: A specialty plastic coating or finish in the fluoropolymer family generally used in applications requiring the highest purity, strength, and resistance to solvents, acids, bases and heat; also called PVDF. Specifically formulated to be applied to aluminum.
LEED Certification: Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) is a rating system devised by the United States Green Building Council (USGBC) to evaluate the environmental performance of a building and encourage market transformation towards sustainable design.
LEED: An internationally recognized green building certification system, providing third-party verification that a building or community was designed and built using strategies aimed at improving performance across all the metrics that matter most: energy savings, water efficiency, CO2 emissions reduction, improved indoor environmental quality, and stewardship of resources and sensitivity to their impacts.
Leveling: Procedure used to re-flatten perforated material that was warped during the perforating process
Low-Emitting Materials/Paints and Coatings: Initiative by the USGBC to reduce the quantity of indoor air contaminants that are odorous, irritating and/or harmful to the comfort and well-being of installers and occupants.
Margins: Area on the side, ends, or inside the perforated sheet without perforations
Mill Finish: The natural appearance of the metal as it comes from the mill
Monel: A blend of nickel and copper, monel has excellent corrosion and oxidation resistance, being a prime choice if exposed to salt water
No Margins: Holes are perforated onto the edge of the material
Open Area: The amount of area that has been perforated leaving no material
Optimize Energy Performance/Lighting Power: Initiative by the USGBC to achieve increasing levels of energy conservation beyond the referenced standard to reduce environmental and economic impacts associated with excessive energy use
Paintgrip: Galvanized steel that is dipped in a phosphate bath, further preventing corrosion
Paintlock: Galvanized steel that has a zinc coating that is electronically deposited and then chemically treated
Perforated Tool/Tooling: Interchangeable die sets comprised of pins/punches, die plate, stripper plate, and punch holder used on the perforating presses to perforate the various perforation patterns
Picked and Oiled: Pickling chemically removes oxides and scales down the surface of the metal, using inorganic acids
Plating: Plating is a surface covering in which a metal is deposited on a conductive surface for corrosion inhibition, to harden, to improve wearability, or to improve paint adhesion
Polishing: A process using buffing wheels and/or compounds to smooth the surface of metal creating a consistent, high gloss appearance
Polyester Finish: A coating or finish that is applied as a free-flowing, dry powder. The coating is typically applied electrostatically and is then cured under heat to allow it to flow and form a consistent layer; also referred to as a powder coating
Post-Consumer Recycled Content: Material recycled after being used in a consumer product
Powdercoating: A coating or finish that is applied as a free-flowing, dry powder. The coating is typically applied electrostatically and is then cured under heat to allow it to flow and form a consistent layer; also referred to as a polyester finish
Pre-Consumer Recycled Content: Material recycled after being used in the manufacturing process of a consumer product
PVDF: A specialty plastic coating or finish in the fluoropolymer family generally used in applications requiring the highest purity, strength, and resistance to solvents, acids, bases and heat; also called PVDF. Specifically formulated to be applied to aluminum
RAL: PMS is an European proprietary color palette or color space system used in a variety of industries, primarily in the manufacture of colored paint, fabric, and plastics.
Recyclable: Raw or processed material that can be recovered from a waste stream for reuse
Recycled Content (USGBC): Initiative by the USGBC to increase demand for building products that incorporate recycled content materials, thereby reducing impacts resulting from extraction and processing of virgin materials
Recycled: A product that has been reused, reconditioned or remanufactured
Regional Materials: Materials or components manufacturing no more than 500 miles from the construction site
Safe Side Margins: This type of margin is achieved by perforating the material all the way up to the edge but not on or over the edge
Shearing: Process used to cut material to the desired length and width. This process allows perpendicular, parallel, and diagonal cuts
Side Margins: The distance from the side of the sheet to the first perforated section parallel to the side edge
Silk Screening: Silk screening is a process which is used to create prints on a wide variety of materials via transferring an ink or die through a pattern on a very fine mesh stretched tightly onto a frame.
Skip Feeds: Areas in a perforated sheet intentionally unperforated in order to achieve a particular design or appearance
Specified Margins: Areas are unperforated based on the customers’ specifications
Squareness: Material having two pairs of equal sides and four right angles
SS304: The most common type of stainless steel, this chromium and nickel alloy has a good level of workability.
SS304L: Contains less carbon than SS304L, which makes it softer and easier to weld
SS316: A higher strength stainless steel, with better corrosion resistance.
SS316L: Contains less carbon than with a reduced carbon level to help reduce carbon precipitation during welding.
SS409: A medium strength stainless steel that provides easy usability while maintaining high corrosion resistance
Staggered Pattern: Holes are aligned in staggered or nested orientation. A staggered perforation pattern can provide the highest open area.
Stainless Steel: Highly resistant to corrosion and rust, containing lower carbon levels and higher levels of chromium than non-stainless steels.
Straight Pattern: Perforated holes are aligned in straight rows and columns.
Sustainability: Refers to a structure and using process that is environmentally responsible and resource-efficient throughout a building’s life-cycle: from siting to design, construction, operation, maintenance, renovation, and demolition. This practice expands and complements the classical building design concerns of economy, utility, durability, and comfort .
Symmetrical Ends: Starting and ending perforated rows have the same perforation pattern appearance
Timesavings: Machine used to on metal components and sheets to remove burrs and imperfections in order to create a smooth surface ready for finishing
Titanium: A lightweight, high strength malleable metal with high resistance to corrosion.
Tnemec: A high endurance coating or finish specially formulated to be applied to aluminum and carbon steel. Used in applications requiring the highest purity, strength, and resistance to solvents, acids, bases and heat
Tool Library: Inventory of perforated tools or die sets including pins/punches, die plate, stripper plate and punch holder
Unfinished Ends: The end perforation pattern is not solid and appears rough and incomplete at the end of the sheet.
USGBC: U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization committed to a prosperous and sustainable future for our nation through cost-efficient and energy-saving green buildings
UV Coating: Curable coating applied directly to metal coatings to enhance the durability, scratch resistance and fade resistance
Zinc: The most common mineral used against corrosion, creating protective layers over other metals