Automotive

Meeting the latest environmental standards, KnitMesh Technologies produces a range of knitted wire air/oil separator elements and oil filler cap breathers for use in automotive, marine and other applications.
KnitMesh Technologies has over 40 years’ experience in the manufacture of knitted wire breather elements. Environmental legislation is placing considerable demands on internal combustion engine manufacturers to reduce emissions from crankcase breather systems and this is where fitting a KnitMesh breather can prove a considerable advantage.

KnitMesh Technologies anti-vibration, sound attenuation and heat shields are highly effective absorbers of heat, noise and vibration energy.
Knitted mesh has several properties that give it a unique ability to absorb energy. The result is a material ideal for use in many applications, able to reduce vibration, attenuate sound and dissipate heat.
In the KnitMesh knitting process, wire loops are created that act like tiny springs. It is these springs that return to their original shape after being subjected to compression. The loops are also free to move in several directions, allowing the knitted material to have natural resilience and to vibrate when sound energy hits the knitted wires. When vibrating, the wires convert sound energy into thermal energy and, in doing so, create a sound-dampening effect.
Compressing knitted wire mesh in a die creates an element that has a tortuous air path with intricate passages that also attenuate sound by absorption. This sound attenuation material is frequently used in applications where a less resilient material would fail.
The above features enable the knitted material, in a variety of forms, to reduce vibration, attenuate sound or dissipate heat. In some cases, all of these functions can be achieved in the same application. Commonly, these components have applications in automotive exhaust components, aerospace, marine and air tool industries, where thermal, vibration and sound attenuation insulation needs to be light weight, efficient and compact.

KnitMesh Technologies mesh exhaust decoupling rings are used in decoupling joints and load support assemblies to absorb vibration, take-up thermal expansion and reduce noise. Mesh bellows sleeves reduce vibration and noise.
Today's transverse-mounted engines generate high levels of vibration and therefore require a robust jointing system between the engine manifold and exhaust system that is capable of withstanding the stresses involved.
Energy Absorption
With their unique structure, knitted mesh rings have the ability to withstand the harsh exhaust gas environment endured by exhaust components. As a result, they provide decoupler manufacturers with an ideal solution to the problem of energy absorption.
Mesh exhaust decoupling rings are constructed from corrosion-resistant stainless steel and can be produced in a cylindrical configuration or shaped to suit the decoupler housing as required.
Sleeves Vibration and Noise Protection
Flexible tube assemblies can benefit from having a low-cost mesh sleeving positioned either under or over the braid to reduce vibration and noise. Mesh sleeves can also protect the tube assembly from abrasion and, in many instances, enable the braid coverage to be reduced. This can lead to cost savings. KnitMesh Technologies uses state of the art test equipment to test mesh sleeving over millions of cycles.

KnitMesh Technologies wire mesh catalytic converter seals are used to protect the delicate honeycomb ceramic brick within a catalytic converter from shock and vibration damage.
Protects Against Gas Erosion
Wire mesh catalytic converter seals are manufactured using mesh that is usually compressed in a die to make an even-density, all-metal one-piece end seal ring. They are designed to protect delicate ceramic bricks and intumescent mats from gas erosion and to prevent exhaust gas bypass between the brick and the inner catalytic converter shell. They are also used extensively within diesel particulate filter assemblies.
Twin-Seal Assemblies
Assemblies with two seals that fit around either end of the monolith brick, that are joined by connecting mesh, can also be produced. These seals are particularly useful where the converter can design does not have any other way of keeping seals in position.

KnitMesh Technologies wire mesh catalytic converter seals are used to protect the delicate honeycomb ceramic brick within a catalytic converter from shock and vibration damage.
Protects Against Gas Erosion
Wire mesh catalytic converter seals are manufactured using mesh that is usually compressed in a die to make an even-density, all-metal one-piece end seal ring. They are designed to protect delicate ceramic bricks and intumescent mats from gas erosion and to prevent exhaust gas bypass between the brick and the inner catalytic converter shell. They are also used extensively within diesel particulate filter assemblies.
Twin-Seal Assemblies
Assemblies with two seals that fit around either end of the monolith brick, that are joined by connecting mesh, can also be produced. These seals are particularly useful where the converter can design does not have any other way of keeping seals in position.

KnitMesh Technologies knitted mesh separation rings have been developed to provide a constant gap between the two ceramic honeycomb bricks in twin-brick catalytic converters.
Using a metallic knitted wire mesh separation ring ensures the gap is consistent and prevents gas erosion of intumescent mats.
For better shape definition, a sleeve of knitted wire mesh can also be placed around the outside of the wool packing.

KnitMesh Technologies knitted mesh airbag filters have been specially developed to prevent incandescent particles from entering or damaging an airbag and to cool the expanding gas following actuation.
Incorporated in airbag inflator systems, knitted mesh airbag filters use uniformly compressed knitted wire mesh elements to trap particulates from the propellant and to cool the expanding gas.
These elements are normally manufactured from large diameter stainless steel or carbon steel wire and are suitable for use in driver's side, passenger's side and side door inflator designs. Density can be varied according to degree of filtration efficiency required and elements are often highly compressed.

KnitMesh Technologies knitted mesh spacer rings and knitted mesh air gap seals are exhaust components used widely to reduce vibration and noise on dual pipe and down pipe exhaust systems by maintaining a constant gap between pipes.
Allows For Thermal Expansion
Sandwiched between the inner and outer pipes, knitted mesh spacer rings allow a constant gap to be maintained even with thermal expansion caused by temperature changes within the exhaust system. Knitted mesh spacer rings also act as extremely effective vibration dampers, protecting exhaust components, due to the tiny springs that are formed by the looped wires created during the knitting process.

KnitMesh Technologies stainless steel wire wool tubes or pads are designed to encapsulate the perforated tube within mufflers to retain basalt /glass wool and enhance performance.
Using our knitted mesh exhaust silencer packing materials and knitted mesh muffler packings will also give the muffler a longer life as the gas erosion of the fibres is reduced.
Wire wool packing is normally manufactured from grade 434 stainless steel and can be supplied in bulk, roll form or in tubular or die cut form for easier installation where more complex shapes are involved.
For better shape definition, a sleeve of knitted wire mesh can also be placed around the outside of the wool packing.

KnitMesh Technologies knitted mesh airbag filters have been specially developed to prevent incandescent particles from entering or damaging an airbag and to cool the expanding gas following actuation.
Incorporated in airbag inflator systems, knitted mesh airbag filters use uniformly compressed knitted wire mesh elements to trap particulates from the propellant and to cool the expanding gas.
These elements are normally manufactured from large diameter stainless steel or carbon steel wire and are suitable for use in driver's side, passenger's side and side door inflator designs. Density can be varied according to degree of filtration efficiency required and elements are often highly compressed.

KnitMesh Technologies actuator filters utilise production techniques that ensure a uniformly compressed knitted wire mesh structure – please contact us for more details.

Please contact us for more details of how we can help you with your requirements for support clamps and fastenings and associated mesh split-rings (C rings) – we can supply the mesh alone or whole assemblies.

KnitMesh Technologies have developed a new method of welding mesh to steel washers, that dramatically reduces customers scrap rates. This is particularly relevant to the production of isolators and decouplers for heat shields, please contact us for more details.

With over 60 years experience of manufacturing knitted mesh for EMC shielding, we can supply robust bespoke products for protecting Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) roadside equipment from electromagnetic interference (EMI) and radio frequency interference (RFI).

Bump stops protect a car’s suspension system when it is under compression and moving parts come into contact with each other.
For some motoring conditions polymeric or elastomeric bump-stops just won’t do and a knitted wire mesh alternative may be considered for high performance or motor-sport applications.

Knitted wire mesh has a unique interlocking asymmetrical wire loop structure that in a layered and compressed form is an ideal medium for automotive metal casting, such as alloy wheels or high-performance motor-sport components.

Our knitted mesh is a conductive compressible fabric with superb resiliency and heat and corrosion resistance, that makes it a potential material choice for electrical contact and pressure compensation applications within new generation fuel cell and battery technology developments.
Our all metal products are recyclable and eco-friendly.

Knitted wire mesh may be considered as an alternative material for anti-slosh devices and baffles that control adverse fuel ‘slosh’ or movement.

Mesh gaskets for clamps and jointing solutions are used in a variety of automotive applications, including, turbo inlet and outlet connections, exhaust gas recirculation and for diesel particulate filter system connections.

We can produce mesh and graphite components to your individual design requirements; including graphite with our mesh provides added lubrication and gas sealing properties to a range of gaskets, seals, bearings, bushings, isolators and anti-resonance decouplers.

KnitMesh Technologies offer non-mesh products that are used to support, encapsulate, integrate with or provide attachment to knitted wire mesh components.

For example,
• metal components such as exhaust mesh gasket support rings and EGR pipe clamps and brackets
• non-metallic items like polymeric and textile materials, or glass fibre and carbon fibre and endothermic and intumescent materials for encapsulation, as well as elastomer pipes and tubes, or mesh/graphite combinations

By utilising the latest manufacturing techniques, KnitMesh can provide customised solutions to maximise value engineering benefits.