Expansion joints are installed in a piping system to absorb vibration and shock. They also have advantages such as reducing the noise and compensate caused by misalignment. Special expansion joints can also be designed for thermal expansion in hot applications. Expansion joints are usually made from metal, rubber, or braided. (Braided stainless steel hoses with flexible or metal liners are not expansion joints) Metal expansion joints are mostly used in applications with the issue of thermal expansion. If the temperature of the pipe increases, the metal expansion joint compresses to compensate for the movement and alleviate stress from the pipe. There are a variety of material choices for metallic bellows, including stainless steel and nickel alloys.
