What is open area?

When we talk about “open area” on a screening deck, we mean the percentage of aperture space compared to the solid deck panels and railing system—that is, the area of the deck that is open to material flow.

How do we calculate open area?

It’s a pretty simple formula:

Open Area = Total Aperture Area (in?) / Total Panel Size (in?).

But it’s a calculation that can have a tremendous impact on your business. (Read about our Open Area case study between wire and synthetic media here.)

Why is open area so important?
The percentage of open area is the most critical factor in determining your deck’s efficiency in passing material of specific sizes through the screening panels. This percentage is directly tied to your operation's ability to put revenue-producing material in the stockpile, so you want that number to be as high as possible.

Why are Polydeck products the best choice to increase open area?

Polydeck is an industry leader in screening solutions that maximize open area, from our PIPETOP stringer system and groundbreaking panel designs to our team of process efficiency experts who can design a screen solution for you that delivers the results you require. (Read about our high open area panel here).

Here are 4 reasons why Polydeck is your best open area partner:

ONE: We use injection molding to produce our panels, which means that every panel is consistent in size and quality. It also means that we can produce a wide range of aperture sizes and shapes depending on your screening needs.

TWO: Our in-house tooling capability means that every die we use is manufactured right here in our Spartanburg, SC facility. We have the capability to customize your panel and solve any issues that may be unique to your plant.

THREE: Polydeck’s team of experts have seen it all. They combine many years of collective experience solving problems in the field with a dedicated passion for helping others. This level of experience and service gives us tremendous insight into the production challenges you face.

FOUR: We offer services such as screen performance evaluations and plant surveys, all geared towards helping you achieve maximum efficiency. No other screen media company out there does that for you.

How does my operation increase open area?

Whether you're using wire or synthetic media, Polydeck has an open area solution for you.

* If you’re currently using wire, but are interested in the benefits synthetic media offers, then we recommend our KWIKDECK solution as a no-risk opportunity to try synthetic media.

* If you're ready to convert to synthetic media, then our experts are here to discuss the conversion process and the impact it will have on your business.

* If you're already using synthetic media but you're not getting the open area you require, let Polydeck put our vast knowledge and experience to guide you to a custom solution that meets your exact needs. Case in Point: The Bell Creek Gold Mine near Timmins, Ontario experienced a blinding issue due to fibrous material found at their location. Polydeck's expert field team met with the facility operators and then worked with our engineers to develop a solution. As a result, we created a brand-new, custom panel design that uses a unique combination of material, aperture design, and panel flexibility to dramatically increase Bell Creek's throughput.

Need more open area? Want better efficiency? Looking for ways to increase throughput?

Contact your Polydeck representative, or visit polydeck.com/contact and drop us a line. Let's have a conversation!

Written by Luke Langner, Business Development Manager for Polydeck.