Expansion joints are invaluable tools for those in the piping industry. For starters, these parts can help a system expand when temperatures rise. The components can also help soften vibrations and reduce extreme noise. Yet, anyone in the field knows that there are plenty of varieties on the market today. That’s why people must read about what to consider when looking for expansion joints for pumps. The more research someone [...]

The Expansion Joint Manufacturers Association (EJMA) has standards that all metal expansion joints are required to meet. The EJMA established these guidelines to ensure efficiency and job site safety. If these components malfunction, pipes can burst, leading to a major accident that could have been prevented. Hopefully, these tips for determining if your metal expansion joints work properly will decrease the likelihood of things going wrong at the workplace. Certification [...]

Every piping system comes under pressure at some point in time. Luckily, some tools minimize this pressure, so mechanisms can continue to run effectively. Exhaust bellows, for example, lessen pressure thrust within pipes. For those who are unfamiliar, pressure thrust is the gauge pressure of a pipe multiplied by the area of the pipe. This article will describe the role of pressure thrust in bellows and prove that specific tools [...]

There are so many materials on a construction site, but perhaps the most overlooked pieces of equipment are expansion joints. This article will discuss the role of pipe expansion joints in construction and prove that they’re invaluable tools in the industry. Thermal Expansion Thermal expansion joints help a pipe grow as the temperature increases. It’s critical to have these devices on a construction site because gases and hot water [...]

Transporting fluids is a notoriously difficult task. Facilities need sound, enclosed paths for travel so nothing escapes, but these present their own challenges. An enclosed path, known as a pipe system, deals with pressure and temperature changes that threaten pipe integrity during use. That’s why many companies need expansion joints to even out these varied forces. To understand a few of the factors affecting expansion joints, read through these points [...]

Bellows are thin, convoluted sections of metal that provide a solid yet flexible section of piping that adjusts as internal temperature and pressure conditions change. They hold up for thousands of cycles despite their slight appearance because of sound construction. Read on to learn about the various manufacturing methods of metal bellows that companies employ. Hydroforming To begin, hydroforming is one such method. The hydroforming starts with the creation of [...]

Crafting an expansion joint requires an engineer’s careful attention to the demands of the facility they are building for. This is because industries deal with vastly different fluids, and each building has unique construction specifications. To get more specific, there are many factors engineers should consider with metal bellows. Read on to learn about five of them. Bellows Sizing To start, bellows’ sizes must match up to fit a system. [...]

Typically, expansion joint bellows consist of a single ply of corrugated metal. Though this thin layer appears weak, it stands up to significant directional forces, pressure demands, and thermal changes. In extreme circumstances, your pipe system could require multi-ply bellows, of which the 5-ply variety is particularly helpful. To learn what the advantages of 5-ply bellows are specifically, read our brief introduction to this alternative. The Purpose of Bellows The [...]

Getting a solid grasp on core expansion joint terminology makes planning your facility’s pipe system layout much simpler. To help make some expansion joint jargon clearer, here’s a brief expansion joint glossary of terms. Bellows First, expansion joint bellows are a localized portion of the joint. Bellows consist of flexible ring-like convolutions made from metal. Though thin, these bellows withstand significant angular, lateral, and axial forces while in use. Their [...]