Metal bellows are manufactured from a stainless steel tube into which rounded narrow close pitch corrugations are pressed by mechanical means. Metallic Expansion Joints are installed in pipe work and duct systems to prevent damage caused by thermal growth, vibration, pressure thrust and other mechanical forces. The ‘soft’ parallel corrugations absorb movements without friction. Usually the demand for high spring rates and high pressure capabilities do not go hand in hand but metal bellows should achieve an optimum compromise.
Features
Metal bellows by their construction are very flexible in all directions and possess a number of features including:
- Pressure resistance
- Vacuum tightness
- High temperature capability
- Corrosion resistance
- Maintenance free
- Long service life and economical
Application
Typical applications include:
- Absorbing vibration and stresses for noise reduction
- As contact pressure elements and sealing elements in mechanical engineering
- As a safety element in motor vehicle steering columns
- As low stress connections on sensitive applications
- As a spindle sealing bellows in valves
- In the exhaust manifold on the cylinder block of a motor vehicle
- As a mechanical shaft seal for pumps and compressors
- As a volume compensating element
- As a flexible shaft coupling
The range of industries using flexible, pressure tight components are numerous including chemical, medical, motor vehicle, appliance, measurement and control engineering, pump, compressor and aerospace industries.
