| If you're reading this, the chances are that you | | | | beware a false economy. |
| know fair amount about this technology already. | | | | A failure of a single section on a piping system |
| Metal bellows and expansion joints are vital | | | | can bring an entire production process to a halt. |
| components in a number of industrial processes. | | | | Considering a mishap such as failure of your |
| They are created from advanced alloys using | | | | coolant pumps, you aren't just talking about the |
| cutting-edge techniques that enable them to deal | | | | (already considerable) costs that an interruption to |
| with the problems often encountered with fluid | | | | work will cause. |
| piping. In particular, they can help with the issue of | | | | Calculating the cost of a clean-up job, factoring in |
| expansion and constriction that contact with high | | | | revenue losses like misplaced business and |
| temperatures can produce. | | | | expense of new materials, is something that no |
| Metal bellows have many different applications | | | | one wants to do. No-one wants to have to |
| beyond the specific purposes you may have for | | | | explain to a manager that a 10% saving at the |
| them. These products are used in factories | | | | outset resulted in a catastrophic problem which |
| throughout the world, and as such, the technology | | | | brought an entire factory to a halt! |
| deployed is specialized yet versatile. | | | | And it's not just the product that's important: it's |
| Metal bellows can be found in factories and | | | | the human expertise that lies behind it. Even if |
| processes run for the petrochemical industry, | | | | you have a great deal of relevant competence in |
| engines or turbines, foodstuff manufacturing, | | | | your own organization of fitting and setting up |
| waste management, and even have medical uses. | | | | expansion joints, you will find that companies who |
| They are used to deal with a variety of fluid and | | | | run a comprehensive after-sales and support |
| temperature situations, from hot oil to wood pulp | | | | service will be far more useful to you than those |
| to baked beans! | | | | who don't. |
| Each environment and application has its own | | | | Expansion joints are there to take the extremes |
| unique challenges, whether dealing with the | | | | of pressure and heat in a piping system, so even |
| consistency of the substances going through your | | | | with the best design, things can still go awry. If |
| pipes or the pressure required to transport them. | | | | the worst happens and you do run into a |
| Thus, each will require a different custom-made | | | | problem, then it makes all the difference knowing |
| solution, and every set of metal bellows or metal | | | | that a skilled team of experts are just a call |
| expansion joints will be a finely-engineered | | | | away. |
| product, produced by experts in direct | | | | That's why when a factory or business starts |
| consultation with the customer. | | | | working with one supplier, they are to an extent |
| Whether you are a civil engineering firm, a | | | | bound to that contractor - everything is so |
| wholesale manufacturer setting up a mass | | | | specialized that prior knowledge is essential, when |
| production process, a research lab, or an oil | | | | an issue develops. In time-sensitive business |
| refinery, you will find that your product is | | | | operations, there simply isn't time for a specialist |
| tailor-made for you, so to speak, and while it will | | | | to come in cold and work out what's going on |
| conform to industry standards, it will have qualities | | | | from scratch. |
| unique to itself. | | | | That's why all businesses, and yours like the rest, |
| The key thing, as with any working business | | | | need to choose very carefully what company to |
| relationship, is getting that comfort level with a | | | | buy their expansion joints from. It's not just |
| company you can trust. In the real world, the | | | | buying a product; it's also entering an ongoing |
| price is always important of course, but always | | | | working relationship. |