A flat wire belt looks simple: flat strips, round rods, lots of open space. Choosing the right one depends on five numbers and the drive.
Choose a Flat Wire / Honeycomb Belt by mesh pitch and number of openings, flat strip size, rod pitch and diameter, edge type, material and surface, and the drive. Pitch decides product support and open area; strip and rod decide strength; the edge and sprockets decide how it runs. Confirm them on a drawing.
We are YIYI Mesh Belt, a metal conveyor belt manufacturer in Ningjin, Dezhou City, Shandong Province, China. Our manufacturing experience dates back to 1998, and we work on a 27,000 m² site with about 280 units of production and supporting equipment, including 9 welding robots. I am Sunny Ye. The Flat Wire / Honeycomb Belt is one product family, not two: "honeycomb" describes the open pattern of the same flat strip construction. Here is how we select one.
At a Glance
| Product | Flat Wire / Honeycomb Belt (one product family) |
|---|---|
| Typical uses | Cooling, transfer, baking, drying and washing conveyors |
| YIYI references | Pitch 12.7–40 mm; rod 3–8 mm; flat strip 1.2×9.5 to 2.8×16 mm; width 200–4,000 mm |
| Materials | SUS304, SUS316, SUS316L or mild steel; mill, pickled or electropolished surface |
| What to send | Pitch over ten pitches, strip and rod sizes, width, edge photos, sprocket details, application |
How Is a Flat Wire / Honeycomb Belt Built?
Flat steel strips are formed into a repeating pattern and joined by round cross rods, which also engage the drive sprockets. The pattern creates a flat carrying surface with a very high share of open area. Edges are washer welded, clinched or rod welded.
| Part | Role |
|---|---|
| Flat strip | Forms the carrying surface and the openings |
| Cross rod | Joins strips and engages the sprockets |
| Edge (washer welded, clinched, rod welded) | Holds the belt together at the sides |
| Openings across the width | Set by mesh pitch and width |
Because the strips stand on edge, the belt is stiff across its width but light, and air or water passes easily through it. That is why it is common on cooling, transfer, baking, drying and washing conveyors.
Sunny's view: Flat wire and honeycomb are the same family. If two quotes use different names, compare the numbers, not the words.
How Do You Choose Mesh Pitch and Openings?
Mesh pitch decides how large the openings are and how well the belt supports small products. A smaller pitch supports small or soft pieces better; a larger pitch gives more open area and lower weight. Measure pitch over ten pitches on the old belt.
| Pitch | Typical effect |
|---|---|
| Smaller (towards 12.7 mm) | Better support for small pieces; more strips, more weight |
| Larger (towards 40 mm) | More open area, lighter; less support for small items |
Our references cover pitch 12.7–40 mm or custom, and rod pitch 12.7 / 25.4 / 27.4 / 38.1 / 50.8 mm or custom. Mesh pitch and rod pitch are separate values; both are needed.
Pitch also affects how the belt bends round the sprockets and the end rollers. A belt with a large pitch needs larger sprockets to run smoothly, so pitch and sprocket size are chosen together with the conveyor design.
The smallest product decides the upper limit of the pitch. Tell us its size and whether it can stand on edge or tip into an opening.
Sunny's view: Count the openings across one row and write the number down. With width and pitch, it tells me the layout in one line.
How Do Strip and Rod Sizes Affect Strength?
Flat strip height and thickness, rod diameter and rod pitch set how much load the belt carries and how stiff it is. Heavier products, wider belts and longer unsupported spans need larger strips or rods. Our references cover strips of 1.2 × 9.5 to 2.8 × 16 mm and rods of 3 to 8 mm.
| Parameter | YIYI reference |
|---|---|
| Flat strip | 1.2×9.5 / 1.2×10 / 1.42×9.4 / 1.6×12 / 1.6×12.7 / 2.8×16 mm |
| Rod diameter | 3 / 4 / 5 / 6 / 8 mm |
| Width | 200–4,000 mm or custom |
These are references, not free combinations: strip, rod and pitch are confirmed together for the load, width and drive. Tell us the product weight per metre, the widest span between supports and the belt speed.
We draw our own stainless steel wire and round bar, and rods are checked for diameter after drawing.
Sunny's view: If a flat wire belt bows between supports, the answer may be stronger rods, closer supports or both. Send a photo of the conveyor frame.
Which Edge and Drive Should You Choose?
Edges are washer welded, clinched or rod welded. Washer welded edges are robust and common; clinched edges are compact; rod welded edges suit some designs. The belt is usually driven by sprockets on the rods, so sprocket pitch and tooth form must match the belt. Review worn sprockets with every replacement.
| Edge | Notes |
|---|---|
| Washer welded | Washer welded to the rod end; robust |
| Clinched | Rod end bent over; compact edge |
| Rod welded | Rod end welded to the strip |
Match the edge to the old belt unless there is a reason to change; a different edge changes the width over the edges and the clearance to side guides.
Sprockets are matched to the belt on a project basis. Read how to replace a conveyor sprocket from a drawing.
Sunny's view: Photograph both edges straight on with a ruler. Edge type is the detail buyers most often leave out.
Which Material and Surface Fit Your Line?
Our references cover SUS304, SUS316, SUS316L and mild steel, with mill, pickled or electropolished surfaces. Stainless suits food, washing and wet lines; SUS316 or 316L is reviewed for salt, brine or chlorinated cleaning; mild steel suits dry industrial use. Temperature suitability is confirmed per project; we do not publish general limits.
| Condition | Material to review |
|---|---|
| Food cooling, transfer, mild cleaning | SUS304 |
| Salt, brine, chlorinated cleaning | SUS316 / SUS316L |
| Dry industrial conveying | Mild steel may be suitable |
| Heated processes | Specific review with the equipment data |
Pickling and electropolishing are carried out by specialist partners under our project specifications where required. Scratch and joint-gap acceptance values are not universal; they are agreed on the drawing if your process needs them.
Sunny's view: If your auditors look at scratches or joint gaps, put the acceptance values on the drawing. Then both sides check the same thing.
Where Is a Flat Wire / Honeycomb Belt Commonly Used?
Flat wire belts are commonly reviewed for cooling and transfer conveyors, baking and drying lines, washing and draining, and inspection or packing infeeds, where a light, open, flat surface helps. The application is confirmed per project, together with the product, the temperature and the cleaning method used on the line.
| Application | Why flat wire is reviewed |
|---|---|
| Cooling conveyors | High open area for air |
| Transfer and inspection | Flat surface, light belt |
| Baking and drying | Open structure; temperature reviewed per project |
| Washing and draining | Water passes freely |
For bakery lines, read which metal belt fits each stage of a bakery line; for washing, metal belts for washing lines.
Ask the equipment builder whether supports run along or across the belt; it affects which strip size is needed.
Flat wire belts can also carry flights or side guards where products must climb or stay in lanes. Accessories are confirmed on the drawing.
Sunny's view: If your line has both a washer and a cooler, the same flat wire family may serve both, with different pitches. Send me both.
What Should You Send for a Flat Wire Belt?
Send the application, width and length, mesh pitch measured over ten pitches, the number of openings, flat strip height and thickness, rod pitch and diameter, edge type, material, sprocket details and photos of the surface, both edges and the drive. A drawing or a short sample confirms the design.
Checklist
- Application: cooling, transfer, baking, drying, washing
- Width, length and carrying width
- Mesh pitch over ten pitches; openings across the width
- Flat strip height × thickness; rod pitch and diameter
- Edge: washer welded, clinched or rod welded
- Material and surface
- Sprocket tooth count, bore and photos
- Drawing or sample, if available
Photos and basic dimensions support a preliminary quote. For a formal order we prepare a drawing for your approval, run trial production and a first article, and inspect every belt before packing.
Read what parameters you need to replace a metal wire belt.
Sunny's view: A short sample with both edges answers pitch, strip, rod and edge in one parcel.
When This Is Not the Right Approach
A Flat Wire / Honeycomb Belt is not the right choice for very small products that fall through or wedge in the openings; a closer woven belt such as a Balanced Weave or Compound Weave Belt may fit better. It is also not a spiral belt; spiral freezers use a Spiral Freezer Belt or a Self-Stacking Belt.
The name "Flat Flex" belongs to another company. We call our product Flat Wire / Honeycomb Belt.
From Our Engineering Experience
Flat wire inquiries often arrive with just width and length. The questions we ask next are pitch over ten pitches, the strip size and the edge. With those, most belts can be identified quickly.
We do not have a flat wire project case we can publish here, so this article explains our review.
FAQ
Is a honeycomb belt the same as a flat wire belt?
Yes. Flat Wire / Honeycomb Belt is one product family; honeycomb describes the open pattern.
What pitches do you make?
Our references cover 12.7 to 40 mm or custom; the final pitch is confirmed on the drawing.
Which edges are available?
Washer welded, clinched and rod welded edges.
Which materials are available?
SUS304, SUS316, SUS316L and mild steel, with mill, pickled or electropolished surfaces.
What should I send for a replacement?
Pitch over ten pitches, openings, strip and rod sizes, width, edge photos, sprocket details and the application.
Conclusion
Choose a Flat Wire / Honeycomb Belt by pitch, strip, rod, edge, material and drive. Measure carefully, and confirm the design on a drawing.
Need a flat wire belt?
Send pitch, strip and rod sizes, width, edge photos and sprocket details. We identify the belt and confirm the design with you.
See Flat Wire / Honeycomb Belt specifications →WhatsApp Sunny📄 Flat Wire / Honeycomb Belt RFQ Application Sheet (PDF) · Email: info@yiyimeshbelt.com
Related reading: How to choose a metal conveyor belt · Replacing a conveyor sprocket from a drawing · Parameters to replace a metal wire belt · Flat wire vs eye link belt (yiyimeshbelts.com)
Sunny Ye
Global Sales Director, YIYI Mesh Belt · 15 years in metal conveyor belt projects
I work with spiral freezer builders, distributors and plant teams on belt selection and replacement. Questions about this article? Send them to me directly.
Follow Sunny on LinkedIn · Last updated: 2026-10-15
