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Welding is an important construction technique utilized in many industries. It allows parts to be connected seamlessly, provides structural integrity, and in some cases, sealing. Welding also allows for specific connections using sub-components, such as flanges.
Flanges are an essential component. They are commonly used to connect pipes or other elements. Flange is a flat or elevated ring that houses connection points and is attached to the end of a pipeline to establish connections. Depending on the application and the system requirements, there are many different types of flanges. In this article, we will discuss some of the most commonly used flanges in welding.co
Weld Neck Flange (WNF)
The Weld neck flange has a reinforced neck, preventing the connection from easy disconnection. The neck of the WNF is extended to provide an easily accessed welding surface. The beginning and the end of the neck can be different diameters if a reduction to a lower diameter is required. Weld neck flanges can be manufactured from various materials depending on the expected properties. They are resilient to high temperatures and pressure.
Weld neck flanges are commonly used in pipelines and refineries.
Slip-On Flange
Slip-on flanges do not have an extended next like the weld neck flanges. A slip-on flange is simply a ring with a threaded hole that is designed to slip over the pipe to be welded from the inside of the flange. Most slip-on flanges have angled and ground inner holes to provide the welder with an ideal welding surface.
Slip-on flanges aren’t as durable as weld neck flanges thus, they are mostly used in applications where frequent reassembly and disassembly are required.
Socket Weld Flange
A socket weld flange is quite similar to a slip-on flange. It slides over the pie to be welded however the inner circle of a socket weld flange has a socket, as the name implies, which houses the pipe’s outer wall inside to provide a sturdier welding connection.
Socket weld flanges can be considered the more durable version of slip-on flanges since the welding is much stronger with the implementation of the inner socket.
Eccentric Flange
Eccentric flanges have varying diameters throughout the neck and the reduction from the larger diameter to the smaller isn’t centric. The middle axis of both rings does not meet, instead, there is a linear decrease from one axis to the other. This shift of both axis and diameter allows some of the transferred medium to stay inside the flange constantly thus, eccentric flanges are most commonly used to connect pumps to pipelines to prevent corrosion or cavitation.
Blind Flange
Blind flanges are used to close off the end of pipelines. They are used to terminate a pipeline temporarily or permanently. One of the most common uses for blind flanges is for reservation lines. A pipeline that branches off for a future installation or a collector exit that is reserved is closed with a blind flange. This allows the blind flange to be disconnected effortlessly to continue the installation in the future whilst still allowing the existing system to be closed off and functional.
Threaded Flange
For smaller diameters and parts which are not required to be connected permanently, threaded connections may be preferred. Threaded flanges have internal threads, allowing the welded pipeline to transit into a threaded connection seamlessly.
Summary
In conclusion, flanges are an important part of welding and are used to connect pipes or other components in a piping system. The selection of the right flange is crucial to ensure optimum connections. We’ve curated some of the most commonly used flanges to help understand their characteristics and applications to provide our readers with informed decisions when selecting the correct flanges.
