RUBBER | METAL | TEFLON | FABRIC
UIP International offers an extensive range of premium quality expansion joints manufactured from all types of materials including high-grade elastomers such as EPDM, Neoprene & Nitrile, as well as PTFE, fabric, stainless steel, AL6XN, and other exotic alloys such as Inconel® and Hastelloy®. We also offer high temperature flue ducts and expansion joint sound absorbers.
Our combined technology expansion joint options are designed specifically for highly corrosive environments. Our designs comply with all current guidelines and the highest standards of the Expansion Joint Manufacturers Association and Fluid Sealing Association. There are many types of expansion joints, each offering unique properties suitable for different applications. Contact the expansion joint specialists today.
Rubber Expansion Joints
Rubber expansion joints are durable, lightweight, and capable of nearly unlimited flexing without damage. These properties make them ideal for handling high-pressure loads, minimizing noise and vibration, and compensating for misalignments during system operation. When installed in piping systems, rubber expansion joints help prolong the life of the piping and any connected equipment.
Metal Bellows Expansion Joints
Metal Bellows Expansion Joints
Made from high-quality, corrosion-resistant metals such as stainless steel, InconeI%, or Hastelloy%, metal expansion joints are designed to provide long-lasting support in piping applications. They can tolerate a wide range of temperatures and pressures, making them ideal for conveying liquids, solids, and abrasive materials in harsh environments.
Teflon/PTFE Lined Expansion Joints
Teflon/PTFE Lined Expansion Joints
Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) is a synthetic fluoropolymer known for its non-stick properties and resistance to various chemicals. Featuring a versatile space-saving design, Teflon/ PTFE-lined expansion joints are ideal for a range of corrosive, high-temperature, and high-pressure applications with space
Fabric Expansion Joints
Fabric expansion joints are non-metallic flue duct expansion joints, or flexible connectors, which provide stress relief for piping and ducting systems by absorbing thermal growth and shock, isolating mechanical vibration, and allowing for misalignments.
Teflon/PTFE Lined Expansion Joints
Offering dual containment and zero-leakage protection, FEP fluoroplastic expansion joints are a great choice for operations involving highly aggressive or corrosive media.
An expansion joint is a mechanical device designed to relieve the stresses generated by expansion, contraction, vibration, and other types of movement in pipelines. While these movements are unavoidable, expansion joints counteract the amount of strain they place on the piping system and minimize the risk of bowing, buckling, or pulling apart.
UIP International is one of the United States’ leading suppliers of high-quality Kadant-Unaflex® expansion joints. Designed by the industry’s top experts and available in rubber, PTFE/Teflon®, fabric, metal, and many other materials, our products can be used to support a wide range of applications.
Piping systems naturally expand and contract with changes in temperature, which creates stress at fixed points throughout the system and within the actual piping. While design features such as expansion loops can increase a piping system’s flexibility, the addition of expansion joints is a much more affordable and effective way to achieve flexibility while maintaining a compact design. Expansion joints safely absorb axial, lateral, and angular deflections and can tolerate the pipe’s internal pressures.
Some of the key benefits of installing expansion joints in a piping system include:
While the design of an expansion joint may vary from application to application, most include some combination of the following components:
Expansion joints are essential components of piping systems. They are often installed near boilers, pumps, heat exchangers, and other equipment to reduce pipe loads at connection points. Typical industries and applications that rely on them include:
An expansion joint’s construction materials will strongly influence its suitability for specific applications. For example, rubber expansion joints are flexible, resilient, and extremely efficient at absorbing vibration, whereas metal expansion joints are stiffer but can handle much higher temperatures and pressures. The types of media being processed and their abrasiveness should also be considered when selecting a suitable material for your application.
Some of the commonly used expansion joint materials include:
At UIP International, we validate the performance of our expansion joint materials using a series of tests that are designed to replicate actual operating conditions. Material properties that are evaluated include:
For more information, visit our Expansion Joint Materials Technology page.
Expansion joints play a critical role in allowing piping systems to experience movement without deforming or cracking. At UIP I nternational, we offer full-service engineering support for a range of material handling and piping system applications. Our extensive selection of expansion joints includes options made from high-grade elastomers and stainless steel and from specialty alloys such as Monel@, lnconel@, and Hastelloy@.
To ensure the aualitv of our Droducts. we maintain a strict aualitv control oroeram that comDlies with the latest ISO 9001:2008. MIL-1 -45208. and MIL-0-9858 standards. All expansion joints are designed in accordance with US Coast Guard requirements. In addition to our standard quality control testing, we also accept order-specific testing requests.
To learn more about our pipe expansion joint offerings, contact us or request a quote today.
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