Enhance Durability and Versatility of Piston Rods with Custom Boots and Bellows

Piston rods are designed to transmit force and motion in many mechanical systems as diverse as shock absorbers, hydraulics, and packaging equipment. Often, piston rods are operated in challenging environments, where they are exposed to moisture, dirt, chemicals, and abrasives. Although manufactured for reliable and long-term performance, these rods may experience premature wear and tear and/or contamination, leading to the failure of the entire system. This is where custom boots and bellows from Crushproof Tubing Co. can help. This post introduces you to types of issues associated with piston rod failure and the benefits of using custom boots and bellows from Crushproof Tubing Company for your piston rod protection.

How Custom Bellows and Boots Aid in Piston Rod Protection

Piston rod failure in engines and hydraulic systems can be a serious issue that leads to costly repairs and downtime. This is where the custom boots and bellows from Crushproof Tubing Company can make a difference. Firstly, they are made to your specifications, thus, there are fewer chances of failure. Having made parts like these for decades, we know what materials and designs work best for your type of application as well. Let’s see how these bellows and boots can help prevent piston rod failure over the long term.

• Corrosion: Several environmental factors such as dust, dirt, and moisture can lead to rust formation in piston rods. Due to corrosion, the rod can weaken over time leading to failure.
  Solution: Custom boots and bellows are made from rubber and other elastomers that do not rust or tear even if exposed to air and other contaminants for a long time. These boots and bellows surround the piston rod area and create an effective barrier against dust, moisture, and other contaminants coming in contact with the rod. This way they help keep these corrosive elements away and reduce the risk of corrosion.
• Lack of Lubrication: There is excessive friction and wear on the piston rod due to insufficient or improper lubrication.
  Solution: Maintaining the proper lubrication of piston rods is essential in hydraulic or pneumatic systems. Boots help seal the lubricant fluid in the system while preventing external contaminants from entering the system. However, bellows can work in conjunction with lubrication systems and seals to ensure adequate lubrication on the piston rod. In addition, keeping dust, dirt, and other environmental contaminants from getting mixed with your lubricants is just as important has having enough lubricant in the first place.
• Potential Damage: Piston rods may be damaged due to abrasion or impacts during regular operation.
  Solution: Boots help protect these piston rods from mechanical damage imposed by abrasions, vibrations, and other issues. Bellows possess flexible designs and can easily adapt to the movement of the rod and also absorb impacts.
• Temperature Resistance: Piston rods may fail due to long-term exposure to thermal fluctuations.
  Solution: Boots and bellows from Crushproof Tubing are designed to withstand a range of temperatures. They help prevent thermal corrosion in applications where temperature fluctuations may be experienced.

Three Reasons Why You Should Choose Custom Boots and Bellows for Piston Rods

The importance of boots and bellows for piston rods has been analyzed before, now let’s see how Crushproof Tubing’s custom boots and bellows can add value to your mechanical systems.

• Vast Material Options: Crushproof Tubing has materials capabilities that allow it to design these boots and bellows in various materials including rubber, welded polyurethane, dipped plastisol, silicon-coated glass, neoprene, Teflon-coated fiberglass, aluminum, and many more. These materials are carefully chosen based on the application requirements. They are tested and proven to handle much higher temperatures than regular plastics and dipped fabrics. The company has also developed blends for acid and oil lubricants and UV exposure. Many rubber blends are also proven to survive freeze-thaw cycles.
• High Stretch Ratios: Crushproof Tubing provides bellows in a wide range of stretch ratios that depend on the material and design, but if it is possible, we can do it! Equally as important is to make sure that you get the proper material and wall thickness to protect your part. Combining these features will get you a part that moves well enough to work on your part while being tough enough to protect it from the rest of the world.
• Immense Customization Options: Most custom bellows designed by Crushproof generally don’t require tooling and have low order minimums. Design the bellows to meet your needs, not the other way around.

Crushproof Tubing Company provides custom bellows in sizes from 3/8″ up to barrel-sized. They have been successfully installed on parts in aircraft, naval ships, lasers, industrial equipment, and so on. Similarly, their boots are also used on everything from robotic arms to oil wells and to protect the moving parts of heavy equipment. Are you looking for custom bellows and covers for your piston rod or your next application? Contact the experts at Crushproof Tubing Company today and you can benefit from their no-cost sample program.