Expansion joints play an important role in maintaining the operations of a pipe, but so do other components, including expansion couplings. These parts help join two or more pipes together, allowing for the transfer of materials. Like expansion joints, it’s easy to make errors in their installation. Here are some mistakes to avoid when installing expansion couplings. Not Checking for a Misalignment One mistake you should avoid when installing couplings [...]

Triad Bellows Design and Mfg. has developed a line of longer bellows that has increased movement capability. What this means for our customers is the possibility to handle all of the piping growth with one expansion joint. The cost savings is not just in the number of expansion joints but the number of pipe guides and anchors is reduced as well. Our extreme movement bellows can also be manufactured in Hastelloy X and Inconel 625 for the higher temperature applications. Triad can also design extreme movement bellows for the higher pressure piping systems as well.

Beveled weld ends, Victaulic groove nipples or flanges as shown. The plate flanges shown have the tie rod ears as part of the flange shape but can also be furnished with forged RFSO flanges that have the ears welded on. Both flange styles are offered in all stainless steel construction and as floating flanges. The A193-b7 tie rods are always designed to take the full thrust load of the bellows in the event of an anchor failure. Single expansion joints with tie rods and multi-ply bellows are often used to absorb pump vibration. The tie rods take the place of the braid on a metal hose pump connector. Higher pressures and larger diameters are possible with this expansion joint design.

By improving upon the factory design Triad’s landfill gas customers are getting twice the life of the original factory expansion joints. The added bonus is that the new improved design as also a substantial cost savings for our customers as well.

can also be designed for large amounts of axial compression or a combination of both. Tie rods are designed to absorb the full pressure thrust of the bellows eliminating the need for anchors when used for lateral offset only. The universal expansion joint can be used in a wide variety of applications from engine exhaust piping systems, steam piping and even for seismic isolation. The design team at Triad Bellows Design and Manufacturing is always ready to help design your next project.

Triad Bellows Design and Manufacturing will custom design a metal bellows to meet your customer’s specific application. We use sophisticated engineering software developed to meet the strict guidelines of the Expansion Joint Manufacturing Association (EJMA) 9th Edition. If your requirement has already been engineered we can make your bellows to your specifications. Read More...

Externally Pressurized Expansion Joints for extreme axial travel. Triad Bellows custom designs externally pressurized expansion joints up to 18” diameter with axial compression capabilities up to 16” travel. All expansion joint are manufactured in the United States and can be custom designed with all stainless steel construction, Inconel bellows, ANSI forged flanges etc… By design the externally pressurized expansion joint is extremely rugged and has several built in features. The construction provides an external cover for the bellows and a flow liner for the media. Special lengths are never a problem.

Every step of the bellows forming process has been carefully planned to meet our lean manufacturing goals. The same careful planning has gone into the design of our custom manufactured bellows equipment. The result is an extremely accurate product at very competitive prices. Our automated bellows formers use a controlled 12 step and 16 step process to shape each convolution. This process takes longer than manual bellows punching but material thinning is almost eliminated. The bellows convolutions at Triad are always evenly spaced, straight and scratch free.

With modular tooling Triad can manufacture even the odd diameter bellows and metric sizes. With the addition of new tooling our size restriction will increase to 144” diameter. As with the smaller bellows we can make the larger ones in multi-ply construction for increased cycle life and movement capability. High temperature T-321 stainless steel is our standard material of construction but T-316, T304, T309, T310, Hastelloy X, Hastelloy C276, Inconel 625 and other alloys can also be used.With modular tooling Triad can manufacture even the odd diameter bellows and metric sizes. With the addition of new tooling our size restriction will increase to 144” diameter. As with the smaller bellows we can make the larger ones in multi-ply construction for increased cycle life and movement capability. High temperature T-321 stainless steel is our standard material of construction but T-316, T304, T309, T310, Hastelloy X, Hastelloy C276, Inconel 625 and other alloys can also be used.