Truss Glossary

See Radius

A base plate is used at the bottom of a vertical column of truss. The footprint of the base plate extends past the truss dimensions to level and balance the truss column on the floor and detour tipping. Oversized base plates ranging from 1’x4’ to 2’x2’are used in designs where tipping is common. Base plates can also be bolted into the ground for further stability.

A book corner is a truss piece that allows you to install truss at an angle anywhere from 0 to 180 degrees.

(also known as square truss) refers to the style of truss made of 4 chords connected with diagonal wire webbing in a box-like, square or rectangle configuration.

Club stands are simple arch designs geared towards the DJ or on the go presentation industry. Club Stands are comprised of spans of flat aluminum truss and tripod legs with extrusions or rods to support the horizontal span of truss. Lights, monitors, and speakers (depending on weight) can be mounted to the truss. The club stand can easily be positioned over a DJ booth or on a stage and taken down very easily. This model is available in a range of heights and widths.

Collapsible truss is a type of modular truss that collapses down flat for easy set-up and tear down. This collapsible feature makes packing and transporting truss easier as well. Collapsible truss is not intended to be used structurally, however and is recommended for lighter truss applications such as trade show displays and lighting. See Collapse X Truss or EZ12 Truss for examples.

A corner bracket is used with certain types of modular truss connecting horizontal to vertical pieces. Junction boxes or 90 degree 2 way or 3 way corners and junctions are used with classic truss to connect horizontal pieces to vertical pieces.

There are a range of types of couplers, but fundamentally a coupler attaches one thing to another. You can use a truss coupler to attach something to a truss cord, or connect pieces together.

A crank stand is typically a tripod based stand that you can attach your truss to that will raise your truss off the ground without having to use a ladder. You can use a crank stand stylistically as legs or temporarily to elevate truss pieces overhead. Many DJs use crank stands for lighting and speakers or as legs of a truss lighting arch.

The designer base plate is used with the EZ6 and EZ612 modular truss. It adds a stylistic element as well as additional support for straight walls and designs that are more likely to tip. It also adds to the height of the unit.

An eye clamp has an adjustable clamp on one end to attach to a truss tube and an eyehole or “eyelet” on the other to feed guy wire or any kind of line through.

6″ (5.75″) Modular hollow steel square truss that connects horizontal to vertical pieces with corner brackets. This compact truss is powder coated in a range of colors and easily breaks down and packs up into shipping cases. This EZ6 modular truss is available with a range of accessories, and is graphics compatible.

12″ (11.5″) Fully collapsible hollow steel square truss that connects horizontal to vertical pieces with corner brackets. Sets up in minutes without tools, and only ONE wingnut per 8′ leg and easily. breaks down and folds almost flat to fit in shipping cases. This truss is available in a range of powder coat colors, accessories, and is graphics compatible.

This truss is a hybrid of EZ6 and EZ12, hence the name. One side of this box truss is 5.75″ while the other side is 11.5″ making the truss footprint rectangular. Unlike EZ12, it does not collapse flat but features all of the other great benefits of the EZ6 and EZ12 product lines.

Graphics clips are used with our Classic Trussworks truss, EZ6, EZ12, EZ612 and Hyperlite. These clips are used along the top and bottom of graphic fabric panel that has been finished at the edges with sintra to clip to the top and bottom truss sections. These clips help to create a smooth graphic wall in your trade show booth and make installing graphics faster and easier.

Graphic panels are made of full color inkjet laminate or dye sublimated fabric and can be printed full color. They attach to truss creating a smooth wall of graphics between the top and bottom of the truss segments and attach with either Hook & Loop, magnets, or sintra and graphics clips.

This connection system is utilized with our classic Trussworks truss. This male/female connection holds the tube cords securely for strength & ease of set-up.

Hyperlite is a truss/extrusion hybrid marrying flat truss horizontals to a round 3″ extrusion with very fast tool-less connectors, infill panels are fabric, lexan or slatwall. Made of hollow steel and available in a range of powder coat colors and accessories. Hyperlite is an excellent solution for someone wanting the truss look with a slimmer footprint.

A Junction box is a six way junction that can receive truss connections on all six sides of the cube. Junction boxes are often used instead of standard turns and junctions so that set-up is easier and the truss design can be more easily reconfigured. Junction blocks can only be used with square truss.

(also known as flat truss) refers to a two chord truss configuration visually resembling a ladder. Wire webbing extended diagonally up the truss, connecting at multiple points along the tubes

Flat, Triangular, Square or Rectangular truss, traditionally made of hollow steel or hollow aluminum. Traditional stage truss is made in either 10″, 12″, or 14″ widths from cord to cord and can support hundreds of pounds of weight depending on the size. Stage truss (See also Stage Truss) is used for lighting, sound, and various visual components required of a stage presentation.

Shipping lingo for the details of a shipment such as dimensions, weight, and whether it is palleted, boxed, or bundled

Modular truss refers to the type of truss that can be easily expanded and modified over time. Modular truss parts are typically more standard and less customized to be used in various designs and applications. Modular units are typically defined by portability and versatility. Available in a range of styles, sizes, this is the most common trade show truss.

A system of hardware used to attach a flat computer, LCD, LED or Plasma to various elements such as truss in a vertical or horizontal configuration.

A 90 degree corner is a right angle section of truss that connects a vertical section to a horizontal section creating a corner. The 90 degree corner can be used in a horizontal or vertical application. A third connection can also be added to create a 3 way 90 degree corner much like the corner of a cube.

A brand of modular expo 6″ box truss much like EZ6 but with a different connection style system utilizing junction boxes instead of corner brackets. Orbital Express Truss is constructed of hollow truss in a high silver shine and easily packed into shipping cases.

Outer rigger legs are additional legs supports for truss columns. They attach to a truss column and extend outward at an angle to the ground. These offer additional stability to certain truss designs and can range in size and weight depending on the level of support needed.

See also Base Plate. This is an oversized version for truss designs that have more of a tendency to tip or need additional stability. Oversized bases range in size from 1’ x 4’ to 2’ x 2’ and are sometimes made of a heavier duty steel with additional reinforcement.

(aka Stage Lights) Short for parabolic aluminized reflector, par can lights are the most popular lights used in staging, theatre, nightclubs, etc. Pars come in a range of sizes and wattages and are used so commonly because they attach easily to truss or round extrusion and the bulb is easily protected by the can. In lower end production, a literal coffee can has been used.

This type of connection is a common connection method for aluminum stage truss. When attaching sections of truss together, one side of the truss end will have a coupler attached. The other truss piece will then slide in to make a connection. A pin is inserted through pre-drilled holes to reinforce the connection and tightened.

(See Wikipedia) Powder coating is a type of coating that is applied as a free-flowing, dry powder. The coating is typically applied electrostatically and is then cured under heat to allow it to flow and form a “skin”. It is usually used to create a hard finish that is tougher than conventional paint and is most commonly used on metals such as truss. Many of our truss styles are available in a range of powder coat colors. The powder coat protects the truss and gives it a more customized look

A radius refers to a curved truss section. Radii come in flat, triangular, and square truss at various radius dimensions including 180, 90, 45, and 30 degree curves. Radius pieces are used to create arches or truss rings.

Sintra is a flexible plastic material used on our fabric panels. A thin strip of sintra is sewn into the top and bottom of the graphic. The sintra slides into the graphic clips that attach to the truss, creating a nice, taut graphic panel wall.

Slatwall made of a lightweight aluminum and is used in merchandising oriented displays. Portable slatwall can be mounted in between two truss columns for hanging merchandise in a single or double sided format. Various hanging bar, straight bar, and waterfall merchandising hardware can be attached to our slatwall easily.

A spacer is a piece of hardware inserted into one end of a tube to connect to another truss section allowing you to lengthen the truss section without fabricating a custom truss length. Spacers are often used with stage truss and more traditional truss.

Flat, Triangular, Square or Rectangular truss, traditionally made of hollow steel or hollow aluminum. Traditional stage truss is made in either 10″, 12″, or 14″ widths from cord to cord and can support hundreds of pounds of weight depending on the size. Stage truss (See also Lighting Truss) is used for lighting, sound, and various visual components required of a stage presentation.

A swivel clamp is a clamp that can be attached in one direction to truss and swiveled to attach something in another direction allowing a versatile connection.

A “T” Junction refers to a 3 way junction that resembles an upper case T. This junction allows two horizontal connections and 1 vertical and is most often used within a structure that requires multiple legs to support a long vertical span.

Refers to the style of truss made of 3 chords with diagonal wire webbing in a triangular configuration.

A tube cord refers to the larger, long tubes that make up the truss section. Flat truss is comprised of two cords, triangular truss has three cords, and square truss has four. Wire webbing connects the cords to one another to create a ladder like composition. Typical tube cord sizes are anywhere from ¾” to 2″ diameter.

The vertex is the point of the triangle. We refer to the vertex on triangular truss to determine which position the triangular truss will be. The vertex of the truss on any particular triangular truss design can be on the top, bottom, inside, or outside. It is important to indicate where you want the vertex, or point of the triangle when designing your truss system. The most popular configuration aesthetically is vertex down on the horizontal sections of the truss. In nightclubs, it is often installed vertex up to accommodate more points to affix lighting to. A great way to frame a kiosk (or exhibit booth) is to use the truss vertex in and mount signage or graphics to the flat of the truss facing out.

Refers to a bolt pattern standard that most monitor and monitor mount manufacturers follow.

Wire webbing refers to the diagonal ladder like tubing that extends back and forth between the tube cords of the truss. Typical wire webbing diameter is ¾” to 1″.

An X turn refers to the section of truss that connects at 4 junction points in an x shape. The junction extends at a diagonal in 4 directions resembling an x shape if viewed overhead. A leg extension can be added at the base of the x extending downward to add a 5th connection creating a leg.