What Is Tyler Mesh?

Tyler Mesh is a historical screen sizing standard developed by the W.S. Tyler Company that designates woven wire screen cloth by the number of openings per linear inch, using a geometric progression based on a 200-mesh sieve with a 74-micron opening as the base. Introduced in the early 1900s, the Tyler Mesh series was the dominant screen sizing standard in North America for decades before ASTM E11 became the official industry standard. Tyler Mesh designations remain widely used in the screening industry, particularly among experienced operators and in legacy documentation.

The Tyler system uses a geometric ratio of the square root of 2 (approximately 1.414) between consecutive sieve sizes. This means each successive sieve in the Tyler series has an opening area approximately twice that of the previous finer sieve. The W.S. Tyler Company (now part of Haver & Boecker) originally manufactured both test sieves and production screen cloth, which is why their mesh designations became so deeply embedded in North American screening practice.

Tyler Mesh vs. US Standard Mesh Comparison

Why This Matters in Vibratory Screening

Tyler Mesh designations persist throughout the screening industry, and understanding the relationship between Tyler and US Standard Mesh prevents costly specification errors.

• Legacy specifications — Many plants have process documents, SOPs, and quality specifications written using Tyler Mesh designations. If your documentation calls for "Tyler 48 mesh," you need to know that the equivalent US Standard Mesh is 45, not 48.
• Ordering accuracy — Confusing Tyler and US Standard designations at divergent sizes can result in receiving the wrong screen. A Tyler 65 mesh screen has 250-micron openings, while a US Standard 65 mesh screen has 210-micron openings — a significant difference for precision separation.
• Cross-referencing older equipment — Older vibratory screeners from Sweco, Kason, and other OEMs may have nameplates or manuals referencing Tyler Mesh. When ordering replacement screens from ScreenerKing, confirm whether the specification is Tyler or ASTM E11.
• Industry communication — Experienced operators, metallurgists, and QC professionals still use Tyler designations in conversation. Being fluent in both systems avoids miscommunication.

Related Glossary Terms

• US Standard Mesh — The ASTM E11 mesh numbering system that largely replaced Tyler Mesh
• ASTM E11 — The current North American standard for test sieves
• ISO 3310 — The international test sieve standard
• Mesh Size — The openings-per-inch designation system for screen cloth
• Sieve Analysis — Lab test for particle size distribution using standardized sieves

Tyler Mesh FAQs

What is Tyler Mesh?

Tyler Mesh is a screen sizing standard developed by the W.S. Tyler Company in the early 1900s. It designates screen cloth by the number of openings per linear inch, using a geometric series based on a ratio of the square root of 2. The Tyler system was the dominant sizing standard in North America before ASTM E11 became the official standard. Today, Tyler Mesh designations are still used informally across the screening industry.

Is Tyler Mesh the same as US Standard Mesh?

At most common sizes, Tyler Mesh and US Standard Mesh (ASTM E11) are identical or nearly identical. Both systems count openings per linear inch. The differences arise in wire diameter specifications and in certain mesh sizes that exist in one system but not the other. For production vibratory screening, the two systems are interchangeable at standard mesh sizes like 20, 40, 100, 200, and 325.