Abstract: A process for manufacturing a slotted hole screen made by mechanically joining a plurality of longitudinal members to a plurality of cross bars reduces joint roughness, burrs and recesses by including a step of covering the joints with a covering material which has a smooth exterior surface. The covering material is liquefied and has sufficient surface tension to form the smooth surface. In an alternative embodiment, the joints in a slotted screen formed by welding a plurality of longitudinal members to a plurality of cross bars are smoothed by selectively remelting the joints to form the smooth exterior.