A flex pipe is an important component for many machines, but what do you do when it’s leaking. Keep reading to learn how to fix a flex pipe leak. When a piece of machinery breaks down, it can cause serious problems for you and your manufacturing processes. Most major equipment is built to withstand environmental strain, but even so, time eventually takes its toll and will wear down equipment. [...]

While plenty of manufacturing businesses and companies across other industries make use of metal bellows in their machinery, not everyone understands what they are or how they work. These vital pieces of equipment are essential to many operations, and learning a bit more about them can help you increase the efficiency of operations in your business. Read on to learn the answers to your most frequently asked questions about metal [...]

A machine only runs as well as its weakest link. So in order to ensure your equipment is always in tiptop shape, it’s important to use quality parts, no matter what you’re manufacturing or building. One component you want to make sure is of the utmost quality and standard is your metal bellows. This is also the case for metal bellows. Metal bellows also ensure the final product is [...]

Many people think of their fireplace when the word "bellow" is mentioned but there's another type of bellow that may prove to be even more useful. The metal bellow is a connector that allows for many different uses - and some can even be custom made, allowing for maximum adaptability. What exactly is a metal bellow? Though many people have never heard of them, metal bellows are exceptionally versatile. They [...]

Exhaust flex joints are kinds of metal bellows. A bellows is an object or device with concertinaed sides which allow the component to expand and contract. A custom bellows design requires special attention to 12 important qualities: stress modes, flexing, pressure differential, rigid stops, spring rate, life cycles, temperature extremes, exposure, assembly method, vibration, end configuration, and geometric constraints. An exhaust flex joint is a flexible component for exhaust [...]

Expansion joints are very popular in fluid pumping systems. In most cases, they are installed in the piping network near the valve or pump. The expansion joints compensate for thermal increases that cause the pipes to grow. They also help in preventing stress from being directed to the rotating equipment piece or pump. There is always the risk of bearing issues and mechanical seal failure whenever the pump becomes stressed [...]

Making metal bellows, especially custom metal bellows, is a complicated process. There are many steps involved in metal bellows manufacturing, and all of them need to be properly followed. Otherwise, you might end up with faulty equipment or bellows that break well before their expected lifespan. The first and most important step of making metal bellows is, of course, designing them. Here are a few elements of metal bellows design [...]

Metal bellows are elastic vessels that can be compressed upon the application of pressure to the bellows’ outside surfaces, or extended under vacuum forces. When the pressure or vacuum force is alleviated, the bellows returns to its original shape as long as it has not been forced beyond its capacity. They are cylindrical vessels made of heavy duty metals like stainless steel, nickel alloys, titanium, and more. Tube-shaped bellows and [...]

One way or another, things sometimes go wrong and equipment can break. This can cause a variety of problems for your business, since replacing parts can take time and resources that you might not have. Even if you do have the means of repairing your equipment, doing so will interrupt the flow of business and cause problems for your bottom line. Understanding why your metal expansion joints might fail can [...]