Primer on Precision Monofilament Fabrics

Precision monofilament fabrics are constructed of yarns similar to fishing line, typically from polyester or nylon. Finished fabrics weigh from 1 to 30 ounces per square yard. The market in the United States is approximately $60 million dollars and $175 million worldwide for precision woven fabrics for filtration and separation and are often priced in the same range as stainless steel wire cloth from $15 to $40 per square yard.

Applications vary widely, including blood filters for open heart surgery, gas tank and fuel injector filters in an automobile, rotary drums, covers for plate and frame and belts for dewatering, liquid paint filter bags, automatic transmission filters, diagnostic test kits in healthcare to screens used in flour sifting to name a few of the diverse applications.

The advantage of precision woven monofilament fabrics is a very controlled pore size with even spacing of the yarns when absolute ratings are desired from 5 micron and above. The fabrics serve as a screen filter or sieve. Monofilament fabrics have low dirt holding capability, but generally can be easily cleaned or reused in a number of filtration processes. Other times they are disposable, particularly in medical applications.

Precision Woven Monofilament Fabrics Different yarn diameters and pores size openings Photo courtesy of Sefar America

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