Industry’s Contribution to the Apollo Program

When the astronauts of Apollo 11 returned to earth from their mission, they left a plaque on the surface of the moon that reads:

HERE MEN FROM THE PLANET EARTH FIRST SET FOOT UPON THE MOON
JULY 1969, A. D.
WE CAME IN PEACE FOR ALL MANKIND
Beneath the text was the signature of each astronaut involved in the mission as well as that of Richard Nixon, the president of the United States at the time. As far as I’m concerned, the moon landing was the Continue reading

Steve Jobs and Perforated Aluminum Sheets

2011 marked the death of one of the most celebrated innovators of recent history, Steve Jobs. Mr. Jobs is credited with revolutionizing several sectors of the consumer electronics industry as well as aspects of industries outside of personal computing, including the music and television industries. There’s no doubt that Mr. Jobs’s contribution to media and technology was major and Continue reading

“Agile” Perforated Metal Manufacturers

As is true for many industrial manufacturers, the need for perforated metal manufacturers to be ready to adapt to the needs of each customer is great. The word that best suits this attribute is agility. An agile perforated metal manufacturer is able to adapt easily to the varying demands of doing business with different kinds of customers. Granted, this attribute is expected of some kinds of companies more than others. A manufacturer of stock products, for example, doesn’t have to be ready to change much, especially if that company has a dedicated customer base. However, much of Continue reading

Admiring Perforated Gratings

I’m a regular shopper at a grocery store a few miles from where I work. I often take trips there on my lunch break to pick up their six dollar sushi plate, which I then carry over to their cafeteria and eat while reading a magazine or newspaper. Unless it’s full, I usually park in a small section of the lot right in front of the building’s doors. For some reason, every time I walk in from one of those close parking spots, I’ve noticed the small drainage ditch that’s built right into the parking lot surface. It’s covered with perforated grating, and it can’t be Continue reading

Perforated Metals Have Many Uses

McKey Perforated Metals

Perforated metals image courtesy of McKey Perforating.

I don’t have a garbage disposal installed in my sink. And, because my dish-washing methods aren’t too intentional as far as avoiding drain clogging is concerned, every so often I find myself trying to fish oversized chunks of yesterday’s leftovers out of the sink so that the water will empty itself out. It’s an annoying and sometimes gross process, and it all could be avoided if I would remember to use my perforated metal drain catch cover every Continue reading

Perforated Metal Screens vs Expanded Metal Screens

Dexmet Expanded Metal

Expanded metal image courtesy of Dexmet Corporation.

Perforation isn’t the only way to make a metal screen. Metal expansion is another very popular way of achieving the affect that perforation achieves when applied to a sheet of metal. Expanded metal and perforated metal differ from each other only in terms of the methods that are used to create them. While metal screen perforation involves stamping tools, presses or punches, expanded metal screens are made by metal expanders. There are different kinds of Continue reading

The Utility of Perforated Sheets

Remaly Perforated Metals

Perforated metals image courtesy of Remaly Manufacturing Company.

During the warmer months of the year, I often like to cook with my propane grill. I don’t grill frequently enough that I have to get my tank replaced more than once a year, but when I do, I usually take it to a nearby grocery store. I’ve noticed that the tanks for sale are kept in an enclosure just outside of the entrance to the store. The enclosure is constructed of several metal beams that form a frame. Attached the frame are several perforated metal sheets, the perforations of which are large enough to Continue reading

Architectural Perforated Metal’s Place in Modern Architecture

I’ve observed an array of architectural styles in my travels in the United States and elsewhere, and different kinds of buildings have inspired different kinds of reactions in me. There are many ways to think about buildings and what they’re for. They can be shelters, business centers and even national icons. When I look at pictures of the Empire State Building, for example, the building’s utility seems intuitive to me. Someone needed a lot of office space, so they made it tall. The offices needed Continue reading

The World of Perforated Tubes

If you’ve driven on a highway recently, you’re likely to have seen many examples of perforated tubes in action. Can you think where? How about in the exhaust pipes that protrude above the cabs on big rigs? Perforated pipes and tubes are used extensively in semi truck exhaust systems and in the exhaust systems of many kinds of heavy machinery. They also can be found in the exhaust systems of other kinds of vehicles, though they are more common in vehicles that Continue reading

Why Perforated Aluminum is so Popular

I’ve talked already in several of the previous post about how perforated metal sheets are often used as architectural embellishments on buildings, both indoors and outdoors. They can be used to supplement the safety features of railings and fences (while simultaneously increasing their visual appeal), they can be installed as paneling on building interiors and exteriors and they can be used for an extensive variety of other purposes. Many different metals are used for Continue reading