Wedge Wire Format is one of the most important decisions in industrial filtration. If you are running a plant or designing a filtration system, you already know how much pressure there is to get it right. The wrong format can reduce efficiency, cause clogging, or even shut down your process.
But choosing between sieve bends, cylindrical screens, and nozzles isn’t just about shape. It’s about how each one fits into your flow rate, media type, maintenance access, and system goals.
We’ve worked with manufacturers in water treatment, sugar industries, paper industries and chemical-print industries. And we’ve seen the same question come up again and again:
Which wedge wire format fits our process?
Here’s how each format works – and how you can pick the one that does the job without overcomplicating your system.
What Is a Wedge Wire Format?
The term “wedge wire format” refers to how the wire is shaped, welded, and arranged to form a filtration surface. You can think of it like choosing the right tool for the job. All three formats – sieve bends, cylindrical screens, and nozzles – use the same basic building block: wedge-shaped wires that allow liquid to pass while stopping solids.
But how these wires are assembled makes a big difference.
At Multitech Engineers, we have worked on hundreds of these systems. We have seen wedge wire used in rotating drums, fixed panels, and high-pressure nozzle systems. Each one fits a different task. And when you choose the right one, everything runs smoother – from flow consistency to cleanouts.
Here’s a simple breakdown of the three formats and how they behave in real processes.
Sieve Bends: Curved Panels for Dewatering Efficiency
Sieve bends are often the first choice when you need fast, gravity-based separation. Think of them like a curved ramp that filters as material slides down. The wires are fixed in a slight arc, usually 45° to 60°, which allows slurry to spread evenly and dewater quickly. There are no moving parts. Just flow, separation, and discharge.
We’ve seen them work best in applications where you need to separate liquids from solids fast, such as coal washery plants, food starch processing, and paper pulps. One of our clients in the corn processing industry uses Multitech’s custom sieve bends to remove fiber from slurry before fine screening. It cut their clogging issues by more than half.
Here’s why they work:
- Tangential flow: Slurry hits the screen at an angle, so liquid passes through, and solids slide down.
- No clogging: The wedge shape prevents particles from getting stuck.
- Low maintenance: No moving parts means fewer breakdowns.
At Multitech, we make sieve bends with customizable arc angles, slot openings, and materials like SS316 or duplex. The flexibility helps clients fine-tune separation without overhauling their entire system.
Sieve bends aren’t perfect for every setup. They rely on gravity and open channel flow. So, if you’re dealing with pressurized systems or enclosed vessels, they may not fit. But when space and simplicity matter, this format usually wins.
Cylindrical Screens: High-Capacity Filtration in Rotary Systems
Cylindrical screens are built for continuous, high-throughput processes. Picture a drum or basket made entirely of wedge wire, spinning or rotating while liquid flows through. These are the backbone of rotary vacuum drum filters, centrifuge baskets, and internally-fed rotary screens. They are not flashy, but they handle a lot – and they don’t slow down.
At Multitech Engineers, we have supplied cylindrical wedge wire screens for clients in pulp & paper, chemical slurry treatment, and ethanol production. One client running a rotary vacuum drum filter saw a 20% improvement in throughput just by switching from a perforated sheet to a wedge wire drum. Less blinding, better flow.
What makes cylindrical wedge wire formats effective:
- Large open area: More surface area equals faster filtration.
- Internal or external feed options: These can be adapted to suit how your fluid enters.
- Structural strength: Designed to hold pressure and maintain shape under stress.
The wedge wires are welded to support rods, either radially or axially, depending on the flow direction. We offer diameters from 100 mm to 1200 mm and slot openings down to 0.05 mm. It is enough to capture fine particles without cutting flow.
Cylindrical screens are especially useful when space is tight, but flow demand is high. They sit inside tanks or vessels and often rotate continuously. That means you get ongoing filtration without needing to stop and clean.
Still, they’re not ideal for batch processes or systems with frequent changeovers. They do their best work when installed and left to run.
Wedge Wire Nozzles: Targeted Filtration in Pressurized Systems
Wedge wire nozzles are compact but powerful. You will find them inside filter beds, pressure vessels, and distribution systems. They are built to handle pressurized flow, control backwash, and prevent media loss. Even though they are small, their role in system reliability is big.
A nozzle is a short cylinder with wedge wire wrapped around it and sealed at the end. Also, with threads, nuts, or flanges depending on how it’s mounted.
At Multitech Engineers, we design these nozzles for use in water treatment, ion exchange units, and chemical processing plants. In one case, a client in pharma replaced a perforated strainer with wedge wire nozzles inside a resin trap. The result? Fewer blockages, less downtime, and easier cleaning.
Why wedge wire nozzles work well in closed systems:
- Uniform flow distribution: Helps avoid channeling or dead zones in media beds.
- High strength: Can take on pressure without deformation.
- Custom slots: As fine as 0.1 mm, depending on filtration needs.
We also manufacture nozzles for header and lateral systems. These are often installed in groups – 10, 20, or even 100. It depends on the tank size. The spacing, flow rate, and slot size all have to match precisely to avoid uneven flow.
Wedge wire nozzles may not move a lot of volume individually, but together, they create highly reliable filtration systems that can run for months with minimal maintenance.
They are the quiet workhorses – and when designed right, they just don’t fail.
Which Wedge Wire Format Fits Your Process?
Choosing the right wedge wire format is not just about specs. It is about how your system runs. Flow direction, solids load, cleaning cycles, space, and budget. Here’s a straight comparison:
| Application Type | Best Format | Why It Works |
|---|---|---|
| Slurry dewatering (coal, starch) | Sieve Bends | Fast separation using gravity; low maintenance |
| Continuous high-volume filtering | Cylindrical Screens | Handles more flow; suitable for rotary drums & centrifuges |
| Closed pressure systems | Wedge Wire Nozzles | Precise flow control under pressure; prevents media loss |
| High solids with tight space | Sieve Bends or Cylinders | Depends on flow rate and available space |
| Media beds or resin traps | Nozzles or Laterals | Even distribution with custom layout |
If your setup includes open channels or gravity flow, start with a sieve bend. If you are running round-the-clock filtration inside tanks or rotary equipment, a cylindrical screen fits better. And if you are dealing with pressure and distribution inside vessels, nozzles are your best option.
The decision also depends on cleaning access, replacement parts, and how your upstream and downstream equipment are configured.
At Multitech Engineers, we have built systems where multiple formats work together. A sieve bends up front, a rotary cylinder downstream, and nozzles inside the final filtration stage. It all comes down to how the process flows, and what you want out of it.
Multitech Engineers’ Wedge Wire Solutions
At Multitech Engineers, we’ve worked with hundreds of industrial clients – from coal processing units to food-grade filtration systems. Our wedge wire components are built to match the format your process demands. Here’s how our products align with each wedge wire format:
Sieve Bends: Curved Panels for Dewatering and Sizing
Product: Sieve Bends
- Slot sizes: 0.25 mm to 1 mm (custom options available)
- Arc angles: 45°, 60°, or per requirement
- Materials: SS304, SS316L, Duplex Steel
- Use cases: Coal slurry washery, corn fiber separation, starch dewatering
Related Systems:
Cylindrical Screens: Rotary and Drum-Type Applications
Products:
Use cases:
- Dewatering in paper mills
- Thickening slurry in starch or ethanol plants
- Bulk solids screening and classification
Wedge Wire Nozzles: Flow Control in Pressurized Vessels
Product: Nozzles/Strainers
- Slot size: 0.1 mm to 1 mm
- Threaded, flanged, or nut-mount options
- Designed for resin traps, media tanks, and backwash filters
Related Systems:
Additional Custom Formats
We also manufacture:
- Flat and Circular Panels
- Static Incline Screens
- Rotary Screen Trommels
- Bead Mill and Second Grind Screens
If your process does not fit a standard format, we can design one that does.
Why Choose Multitech Engineers
We don’t just sell wedge wire screens. We build solutions that match your exact process. From pressure drop to particle size, and from system layout to cleaning frequency.
Here is what we offer:
- Custom fabrication: Each screen, nozzle, or panel is built to your specifications
- Material integrity: We use tested and traceable stainless steel grades, including 316L and duplex
- Dimensional accuracy: Our screens meet tight tolerances — down to ±0.02 mm on slot openings
- Full-system compatibility: We design wedge wire formats that integrate with your drums, vessels, or flow systems
- Real support: You can talk to an engineer — not just a sales rep — when planning your filtration setup
We delivered to clients in Sugar Industry, Starch Industry, Water + Wastewater Treatment Industry, Oil + Mineral Processing, Pulp + Paper Industry and Chemical + Paint Industry. And we have seen firsthand how the right wedge wire format reduces maintenance, improves flow, and keeps production running.
Conclusion:
Choosing the right wedge wire format is not about following a trend. It’s about what works.
Use sieve bends for fast, gravity-based separation
Use cylindrical screens for high-volume, continuous filtration
Use wedge wire nozzles for pressure-based or media bed applications
If you are unsure which format fits your setup, or if you want to upgrade an existing screen, Multitech Engineers can help you figure it out.
📩 Contact us to discuss your filtration process – or request a custom quote.
