Back 2 Basics: Truss 101

With truss you can create unique displays from which to hang lights, speakers, signs, decorations, TVs & video walls. But which truss is right for you?

When it comes to truss there is a lack of information available to help newcomers navigate the basics & discover the creative & practical possibilities of its application. Our team at VFM Group want to simplify the jargon so anyone looking to make dynamic displays can access the right truss for their needs.

Titan AV 290mm Box Truss Structure

Truss 101

Truss (also known as lighting or stage truss) is a modular framework to create epic displays. Transformable and portable, truss structures are assembled from inter-locking modular pieces (quick & easy to setup and pack down) made from the strongest aluminium alloy {6082-T6}.

You can start small with a handful of truss pieces to make simple structures such as truss totems or arches, and later grow your collection to accommodate for bigger display areas & grand new designs.

Let's break down the basics to find the right truss for your needs:

• Size
• Shape
• Lengths
• Cubes, corners & circles
• Base & top plates
• Accessories

SIZES OF TRUSS

Truss comes in a variety of sizes: 100, 200, 290 & 400. The bigger the size of truss the more heavy-duty its application.

The number of the truss (e.g.: 290 truss) refers to measurements (in millimetres) taken from the outside of each chord (the larger tubes that define its shape).

For example 200 truss comes in 200x200mm dimensions, 290 truss is 290x290mm & 400 truss is predictably 400x400mm. It's these measurements which give the truss their name.

Our mini 100mm truss is designed to be a portable lightweight decorative solution, not for rigging or holding heavy loads. Popular with florists, wedding event planners, and to decorate corporate functions.

Decorative floral display using Titan AV 100 Mini Truss

If you want something slightly bigger than mini truss but don't want anything as heavy-duty as 290 truss, 200 truss is for you. Perfect for hanging LED lights, small moving heads, signs & banners.

Titan AV 200 Truss

Suitable for outdoor use Titan AV 290 & 400 truss has been used in large music festivals, such as Splendour In The Grass, The Woodford Folk Festival & Falls Festival to rig stage lighting, LED screens and sound systems. 

Titan AV 400 Truss structure from High Impact Lighting

Heavy-duty truss enables event production companies to create impactful staging that can be quickly & safely assembled and disassembled to meet tight turnarounds.

SHAPES OF TRUSS

Truss comes in 5 different shapes: box, 5 chord, tri, flat and tube truss. Each size of truss has a unique offering of shapes with 290 truss providing the greatest selection of shapes in the Titan AV range.

Why the different shapes of truss? The main reason is functionality.

Different shapes of truss offer varied levels of functionality - based on strength / load capacity - that can be identified by the number of chords on each style of truss.

Let's use our range of Titan AV 290 truss as a guide to demonstrate which truss shapes are the strongest. In order from least to most strong we have: tube truss (1 chord), flat truss (2 chords), tri truss (3 chords), box truss (4 chords) & 5 chord truss.

Titan AV 290 tube, flat, tri, box and 5 chord truss.

Box truss is the most versatile (and popular) style of truss, with plenty of space along the lengths of truss to attach clamps for hanging equipment + with 4 main chords box truss provides a stronger more versatile design than either tri or flat truss.

An affordable alternative to box truss, Tri Truss is composed of 3 chords and is popular for lighting and decorative applications. Flat (or Ladder) Truss is often used in combination with other styles of truss - making it highly versatile - and is typically used indoors to hang banners, decorations, curtains or lights.

Titan AV 290 Flat Truss Archway

5 Chord truss is designed to be used along the top of your truss structure to display LED walls. A balanced central chord distinguishes 5 chord truss providing the extra strength required to safely hang heavier LCD screens, display panels, lighting & signage.

Titan AV 400mm Box Truss LED Wall Frame (suitable for use outdoors)

LENGTHS OF TRUSS

Truss lengths are the core ingredient to building epic displays. The size of your truss structure is determined by how many lengths of truss you have, the more lengths of truss the bigger your display can be.

Different truss sizes offer varied lengths but generally you can find Titan AV Truss available in 0.5m, 1m, 1.25m (only in 290 box), 1.5m, 2m, 2.5m and 3 metre spans / lengths. Each length of Titan AV truss is supplied with a set of spigots & clips (the bits that connect the truss together) for one end of the truss.

CUBES, CORNERS & CIRCLES

Truss cubes enable you to connect lengths of truss in up to 6 directions (up, down, front, back, left and right). Each Titan AV truss cube is supplied with spigots & clips for two sides of the cube. Additional spigots & clips can be purchased separately.

Corner truss is exactly what it sounds like, a piece of truss that connects lengths of truss to create a corner. Varying degrees (45°, 60°, 90°, 125°, 135°, 180°) of truss corners & circle truss allow you to get creative with truss structure designs. From here you can start to see the possibilities for creating truly unique structures

TRUSS BASE & TOP PLATES

Base plates provide a sturdy footing for your structure (whether from the wall, ceiling or floor) while top plates offer an additional mount for speakers & lighting.

Titan AV have created base plates that feature multiple mounting options enabling you to hide or tuck away the base plate for a cleaner look. This is a very handy feature that often goes unseen but can make a huge difference in fitting your truss structure neatly into place.

The heavy-duty Titan AV 800 steel base plate features: centre, corner & centre side mounts (demonstrated below with 290 box and tri truss) for an extremely versatile display support.

TRUSS ACCESSORIES

Lastly, truss accessories enable you to secure equipment & decorations to your truss structure using shelves, brackets, adapters & truss clamps from which you can mount lights, audio equipment, TVs, video walls, display panels, banners & decorations.

Titan AV 290mm and 400mm Truss Shelf

Titan AV 2m Glow Totem with White Scrim

Truss Buying Guide

Titan AV truss is strong (safety tested), scalable, portable & will last for years to come! If you'd like to learn more about our entire range of Titan AV truss checkout our truss buying guide.

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