Slide Plates

Slide plates support and guide pipes while allowing for lateral, axial, or rotational movement due to thermal expansion, vibration, or other mechanical forces. They reduce stress on connections and minimize wear.
RedLineIPS Slide Plates by Cogbill
RedLineIPS Slide Plates by Cogbill

What is a Slide Plate?

Slide plates are used in industrial piping systems to support and guide the pipes while allowing for lateral, axial, or rotational movement due to thermal expansion, vibration, or other mechanical forces. These components are essential for maintaining the integrity of the piping system, reducing stress on connections, and minimizing wear due to movement.

RedLineIPS, by Cogbill Construction, offers slide plates designed to meet the rigorous demands of piping systems in the petrochemical and gas industries. In such settings, slide plates are typically utilized in a sandwich configuration. This entails two sets of steel plates, often termed as “backing plates,” sandwiching a specialized material with a low coefficient of friction, such as PTFE, graphite, bronze, or polished stainless steel. These components are expertly bonded with a robust adhesive. The top plates are sometimes larger, and they consist of a carbon steel backing plate with a polished stainless steel inside plate, or at times PTFE or other materials are used for the inside plate. The bottom plate typically consists of a smaller carbon steel backing plate with a recessed low friction PTFE material bonded to it.

Raised and Tilted Cogbill RedLineIPS Slide Plate Set

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Top & Larger Backing Plate 2 of 5 Material with Low Coefficient of Friction 3 of 5 Material with Low Coefficient of Friction 4 of 5 Lower and Smaller Backing Plate 5 of 5

RedLineIPS Slide Plate Components

The low-friction material interfaces are positioned in opposing directions within the sandwich structure (meat and cheese portion). One metal plate (larger bread slice) is securely welded to the bottom of a pipe support, pipe shoe, or hold-down pipe clamp, among others, while its counterpart (the smaller bread slice) is welded to the top of the supporting structure. This innovative design achieves the following:

RedLineIPS slide plates ensure pipes can adapt and move without compromising the integrity of the piping system.

Types of RedLineIPS Slide Plates

Remarkably resilient, these slide plates by RedLineIPS demonstrate exceptional endurance within a temperature range of -320°F to 500°F. They support loads of up to 2,000 psi, with a low coefficient of friction ranging from 0.01 to 0.2. Applications span diverse settings such as pipe supports, cross-beam and girder slip joints, vessels, air preheaters, and a broad spectrum of industrial and architectural contexts.

Reserved for systems operating under exceptional pressure and extreme heat, pure graphite slide plates by RedLineIPS stand as the preferred choice. These plates offer reliable support for critical industrial operations, exhibiting a temperature range of up to 1,000°F, supporting loads up to 2,000 psi, and possessing a coefficient of friction of 0.15.

RedLineIPS Pipe Shoe with Slide Plate - Side View
RedLineIPS Pipe Shoe with Slide Plate - Side View

Benefits of RedLineIPS Slide Plates

In the complex landscape of petrochemical and gas piping, where even the heaviest pipes experience movement, RedLineIPS slide plates, as manufacture by Cogbill Construction, emerge as indispensable components. They offer a plethora of benefits, significantly contributing to the integrity and efficiency of the entire industrial piping system, including:
At the forefront of functionality, RedLineIPS slide plates effectively minimize friction between pipe supports, equipment, and other structural elements. This proactive measure prevents wear and tear caused by the natural movement of heavy pipes and equipment due to temperature fluctuations, thereby averting potential surface damage and associated repair costs.

Vital in accommodating thermal expansion and contraction, RedLineIPS slide plates provide a controlled and low-friction surface for the natural movements of pipes and equipment. This ensures that thermal stresses are managed effectively, reducing the risk of damage and failure within the piping system.

RedLineIPS slide plates play a pivotal role in distributing loads and weight evenly across supporting structures. This even distribution helps prevent localized stress concentrations, promoting the longevity and safety of the entire system.

In dynamic industrial environments prone to vibrations and equipment misalignment, RedLineIPS slide plates excel at absorbing and dampening vibrations. This capability significantly reduces the risk of structural damage and equipment fatigue, ensuring that pipes and equipment remain properly aligned during operation.

By providing a protective layer between heavy structures, RedLineIPS slide plates contribute to the prolonged lifespan of both supporting structures and the pipes or equipment they support. This preventive measure minimizes wear and damage, reducing the need for frequent maintenance and replacements.

RedLineIPS Slide Plate Application with Pipe Shoes
RedLineIPS Slide Plate Application with Pipe Shoes

In corrosive environments, the use of non-metallic slide plate materials, such as PTFE, contributes to corrosion prevention. These materials create a protective barrier between metals, mitigating the risk of galvanic corrosion and other forms of metal degradation—particularly crucial in chemical plants and refineries exposed to corrosive substances and ones near coastal regions and offshore.

RedLineIPS slide plates play a pivotal role in cost savings by reducing wear, preventing damage to pipes and support structures, and ensuring the long-term reliability of the entire piping system. The investment in high-quality slide plates pays off through minimized maintenance, repair costs, and equipment replacements.

Above all, RedLineIPS slide plates elevate safety standards in industrial environments. They prevent sudden equipment movements, structural failures, or accidents caused by excessive friction or misalignment. In industries where hazardous materials and conditions prevail, creating a safer work environment is paramount.

An Image Collage of Various Sizes of RedLineIPS Slide Plates
An Image Collage of Various Sizes of RedLineIPS Slide Plates

Contact us today to learn more about our RedLineIPS slide plates, their different configurations and customization, and how they can enhance your piping systems and heavy equipment.