Entangled　porous　metallic　wire　material　(EPMWM)　has　the　potential　as　a　thermal　insulation　material　in　defence　and　engineering.　In　order　to　optimize　its　thermophysical　properties　at　the　design　stage,　it　is　of　great　significance　to　reveal　the　thermal　response　mechanism　of　EPMWM　based　on　its　complex　structural　effects.　In　the　present　work,　virtual　manufacturing　technology　(VMT)　was　developed　to　restore　the　physics-based　3D　model　of　EPMWM.　On　this　basis,　the　transient　thermal　analysis　is　carried　out　to　explore　the　contact-relevant　thermal　behavior　of　EPMWM,　and　then　the　spiral　unit　containing　unique　structural　information　are　further　extracted　and　counted.　In　particular,　the　thermal　resistance　network　is　numerically　constructed　based　on　the　spiral　unit　through　the　thermoelectric　analogy　method　to　accurately　predict　the　effective　thermal　conductivity　(ETC)　of　EPMWM.　Finally,　the　thermal　diffusivity　and　specific　heat　of　the　samples　were　obtained　by　the　laser　thermal　analyzer　to　calculate　the　ETC　and　thermal　insulation　factor　of　interest.　The　results　show　that　the　ETC　of　EPMWM　increases　with　increasing　temperature　or　reducing　density　under　the　experimental　conditions.　The　numerical　prediction　is　consistent　with　the　experimental　result　and　the　average　error　is　less　than　4%.　©　2022　China　Ordnance　Society