What we can supply
Taokron does not manufacture these consumables. We can supply them with your machine order or as a separate shipment, and they are quoted per order quantity. Mixed orders are welcome: you can take several items in one shipment.
| Item | Used for | Sizes we list |
|---|
| Drive cleats (C cleats) | Slip-and-drive transverse joints | Tell us the size and gauge you use |
| S cleats (slips) | Slip-and-drive transverse joints | Tell us the size and gauge you use |
| TDF cleats | TDF flange joints, 35 mm flange height | Tell us the gauge you use |
| TDC flange profile, ribbed (A) | TDC joints | 20, 25, 30, 35 and 40 mm |
| TDC flange profile, plain (B) | TDC joints | 20, 25, 30 and 35 mm (no 40 mm plain) |
Corners for TDF (25, 30 and 35 mm) and TDC (20 to 40 mm) are covered in our companion guide, TDF and TDC flange corners and clips: supply. Sealant, gasket and tape are in duct sealant, flange gasket and tape: supply.
Where each item is used
Slip and drive: S cleats and drive cleats
Slip and drive is one of the standard transverse joints for rectangular duct in the SMACNA construction standards. The duct ends on one pair of opposite sides carry a formed edge that takes the drive cleat, and the S cleat, or slip, goes on the other pair. The drive is hammered on to pull the two duct sections together, and the S lets the metal overlap. Trade guides describe the joint as common on smaller, lighter-gauge duct, with the S going from flat to standing as the duct gets wider. Your specification decides what you may use at a given duct size and pressure class, so build to that.
TDF cleats
TDF is the Transverse Duct Flange, rolled from the duct's own sheet. TDF joints are completed with corner pieces, a gasket and cleats along the flange, and the flange height on our TDF former is 35 mm. Cleats for that flange can be cut on a TDF cleat cutting machine or bought in, which is where supply becomes useful.
TDC flange profile
TDC, the Transverse Duct Connector, is the other common flange system for rectangular duct. SMACNA lists TDC as T-25a and TDF as T-25b, and the main difference between them is the direction of the hem. We can supply TDC flange profile in the sizes our TDC former forms: ribbed (A) in 20, 25, 30, 35 and 40 mm and plain (B) in 20, 25, 30 and 35 mm. Tell us how your shop fits the profile and we confirm the item before you order. Which system a shop builds usually follows the market and the engineer's specification, so we do not say that one is better than the other. Our TDF vs TDC guide explains the difference in detail.
How it fits the machine you run
- You run a lockformer. The Lockformer (SBLC series) forms Pittsburgh locks (0.4 to 1.2 mm) and snap locks (0.7 to 1.5 mm), and its page lists cleat forming among its uses. If you buy cleats in, the lockformer stays on duct seams while the cleats arrive ready to use.
- You run a slip-and-drive line. The Automatic Drive Cleat (C cleat) duct line, model SBAL-V-1250C (C&S), forms the cleat profile on duct edges for assembly with drive slips. It handles 0.4 to 1.2 mm at up to 1250 mm width and 14 m/min. The line forms the duct edges, and slips and cleats are what you keep buying to assemble the joint.
- You run a TDF former. The TDF flange forming machine (SBTDF-12 for 0.5 to 1.2 mm, SBTDF-1.5-16 for 0.8 to 1.5 mm, flange height 35 ± 0.5 mm) rolls the flange, and its page describes assembly with angle steel or drive cleats. If you cut your own cleats, the TDF cleat cutting machine handles 0.5 to 1.2 mm or 0.8 to 1.5 mm material depending on model. If you would rather not cut them, we can supply them.
- You run a TDC former. The TDC flange forming machine is built in an A series (SBTDC-20A to 40A) and a B series (SBTDC-20B to 35B), which line up with the ribbed and plain profile sizes above. Tell us your former's model and we confirm the profile fits.
- You run corner machines. The Auto Corner Making Machine and the Pneumatic Corner Mounting machine (SBCC) deal with corners, not cleats or profile, so cleats and profile are ordered alongside them for the same joints.
- You do not own a former. You can still buy cleats and profile and assemble duct by hand or on a basic line. If you add a machine later, ordering the machine and the consumables together keeps the fit consistent.
Why buy cleats and profile with your machine
- Almost no extra freight. Cleats and profile are small next to a machine, so topping up a machine container with consumables costs very little more to ship.
- One supplier. The machine, the cleats and the profile come from one place, with one set of contacts if something does not fit.
- Consistent fit. We confirm the item against the machine you run, so the profile and cleats match the flange or edge your machine produces.
- Mixed orders. Several items, several sizes and a machine can travel together.
How to order
Items are quoted per order quantity, so we do not publish fixed prices. Send us the following and we reply within 12 hours:
- Which items: drive cleats, S cleats, TDF cleats, TDC profile ribbed or plain.
- The size of each item. For TDC profile use 20, 25, 30, 35 or 40 mm (ribbed) and 20, 25, 30 or 35 mm (plain). For cleats, tell us the size and gauge you use.
- The gauge or material of the duct they will fit.
- Roughly how many per month or per order.
- Your destination port, and whether you want them in a machine container or as a separate shipment.
Request a consumables quote →
What to check on incoming cleats and profile
These are checks you can make on any supplier's goods, ours included.
- Fit. Try a few cleats on your own duct ends and a length of profile on a sample joint before you open the rest of the order. Slip and drive depends on the cleat gripping the formed edge, so a loose or tight fit shows straight away.
- Gauge and size per bundle. Check that every bundle matches what you ordered. Mixed gauges in one bundle cause trouble at assembly.
- Straightness and edges. Profile should be straight and free of burrs that cut hands or tear gasket.
- Coating. Check that the surface finish is consistent along the length and between bundles, and that cut ends are clean.
- Sealing. Cleat joints are usually sealed to the leakage class your project names. Our sealants and gaskets guide covers the choices.
FAQ
What is the difference between S cleats and drive cleats?
In a slip-and-drive joint the two parts do different jobs. The S cleat, also called a slip, is a short S-shaped strip that fits over the duct ends on one pair of opposite sides. The drive cleat, also called a C cleat, is driven or hammered along the formed edges on the other pair of sides and pulls the two duct sections together. Together they are often called slips and drives. Tell us which system you build and the gauge you use and we quote the right pair.
Can I order TDC flange profile in a size that is not 20, 25, 30, 35 or 40 mm?
We supply TDC flange profile in ribbed (A) 20, 25, 30, 35 and 40 mm, and plain (B) 20, 25, 30 and 35 mm. There is no 40 mm plain profile. If you need a size outside this list, send us a drawing or a sample and we will tell you whether we can supply it.
Do I need to own a TDC or TDF former to buy this?
No. A shop that assembles duct by hand, or one that is still deciding on a machine, can buy cleats and flange profile on their own. If you later add a lockformer, a TDF former or a TDC former, you already have a supplier who knows your sizes.
Can cleats and profile be added to a machine container?
Yes. Cleats and profile are small compared with a machine, so they can go into the same container as your machine order at almost no extra freight. They can also ship separately as a mixed order. Tell us your destination port and we confirm how it ships.
What do you need from me to quote?
Which items you want, the size of each, the gauge or material you use, roughly how many per month or per order, and your destination port. Quotes are per order quantity, so the quantity matters. A photo or a short sample of what you use now also helps.
Do you make the cleats and profile yourselves?
No. We can supply them as a consumables line next to the machines. You deal with one supplier for the machine and the consumables, and we confirm the fit against the machines you run.
