Freudenberg introduces custom TPE bellows for small series

Freudenberg Sealing Technologies is expanding its range of bellows with a new production concept for small series. Thanks to a modular tooling concept, customer-specific bellows made of thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) can be produced with lower tooling and fixed costs.

Bellows are used to protect moving machine parts and keep lubricants inside the system. Examples include applications around piston rods, guides, valves, joints, shafts and drives. In sectors such as agricultural machinery, construction machinery, automation, fluid technology, power tools and food and pharmaceutical equipment, bellows must keep out dirt, moisture and mechanical stress.

TPE as an alternative to rubber

Freudenberg already has a broad standard range of rubber bellows. According to the company, this range consists of more than 400 variants for OEMs and the aftermarket. For many applications, rubber remains a logical and cost-efficient choice.

For specific geometries or more demanding conditions, TPE offers additional possibilities. TPE bellows combine good mechanical properties with high wear resistance and a long service life. The material can be used from -40 °C to +140 °C and offers resistance to ozone, oils and greases.

Lower tooling costs for custom solutions

The new production concept is based on modular tooling. Instead of creating a completely new tool for every bellows, the design is built from existing modules. This allows customer-specific bellows to be developed faster and more cost-effectively.

This is particularly interesting for special vehicles and industrial machines that are not built in large volumes. In the past, custom bellows in small quantities were often difficult to justify because of the high tooling costs. With the modular system, custom solutions become more scalable, without the need to move directly into large-scale production.

Example: axle boot for construction vehicles

Freudenberg cites a drive shaft for a three-way tipper as an application example. This involves a shaft of 1,610 mm for which no standard axle boot is available. The required bellows has nine folds, a maximum diameter of more than 130 mm and a total length of around 120 mm.

In such a project, a customer can first order bellows for a small prototype series, for example for vehicles that are tested off-road. If the evaluation is positive and production is scaled up, Freudenberg can supply the required bellows faster because the tooling components are already available.

Custom solutions with greater certainty

In heavily loaded joints, a well-fitting bellows prevents lubricant from leaking out and dirt, splash water or weather influences from reaching the mechanical parts. The fit is just as important as the material itself.

With the modular approach, Freudenberg aims to make custom bellows more accessible for applications where standard solutions do not fit well. For machine builders, this means more design freedom, shorter development times and better planning for small or varying production series.

Source

Freudenberg Sealing Technologies. (2026, May 8). Modular TPE bellows for special-purpose vehicles and industrial applications. https://www.fst.com/news-stories/press-releases/2026/modular-tpe-bellows/