MESH - MICRON

What is a micron?

        A micron is a small unit most frequently used to describe the measure of the length of tiny particle size. The term micron is actually commonly used shorthand for micrometer (American spelling) or micrometer (international spelling).  A μm is the official symbol of the micrometer, sometimes simplified as um. A micrometer is defined as one-millionth of a meter, a little more than one twenty-five thousandth of an inch.

What does mesh size mean?

           

         Mesh number is the size of mesh and its relationship to the size of the openings in the mesh and thus the size of particles that can pass through these openings. Finding out the mesh number is simple. Count the number of openings in one linear inch of screen and this count is the mesh number. A 10 mesh screen means there are ten little square openings across one inch of screen. A 120 mesh screen has 120 openings per inch, and so on.

Note: 

       As the number indicating the mesh size decreases, the size of the openings and thus the size of particles captured increases. Higher mesh numbers = finer particle sizes. This is very important to remember that mesh size is not a precise measurement of particle size. It is because screens can be made with different materials with different thicknesses of strands of wire. Thinner strands, bigger the openings that a particle can pass through, and vice versa. Also, a mesh is 2D and the 3D shapes of particles vary dramatically. To convert  mesh to micron see the Mesh Micron chart.