Flange is a hardware item. Its purpose is to connect pipes, glands or similar hollow metal structures of a cylindrical shape. To firmly and securely connect two objects, you need to additionally use soft pads. Soft materials are used for their manufacture. And to the question: "Flange - what kind of detail is this?" - you can answer that this is a hardware (short for "metal product"), which creates good sealing at the junctions of cylindrical elements.
Device
Standard flanges look like a metal ring with special holes for studs or bolts. On some types of these elements there may be protrusions, depressions, spikes, grooves.
Flange production
Various steel grades are used for manufacturing: 13XFA, 20/09G2S, 12X18H10T, 15X5 M and others. In addition, they can be steel and stainless. The technology used is different. Manufacturers use forging, stamping, casting. For each method, special equipment and molds are used. By releasing your products,manufacturers carefully check it for quality. Applying special tests in their work, QCD employees check them for durability and reliability. Flanges are also checked for moisture resistance. What it is? Since they are fasteners and are involved in connecting metal parts that may come into contact with water, it is important that they are not susceptible to corrosion. That is why waterproof metal alloys are used. Often, manufacturers cover the surface of the flanges with an additional protective layer.
Types of flanges
So, flange - what is it? This is, first of all, hardware. Depending on the application, these parts can be flat, collar, free. The design is not much different. On the collar flanges there is a small protrusion resembling a cone. It is often referred to as a collar. This type of flange is used when it is necessary to weld parts end-to-end. This protrusion helps to tightly connect the connecting parts of the pipelines. They are also necessary when pipelines are connected to tanks or other technical equipment. The main advantage of such flanges is that they can be used several times. These hardware are made of durable materials, and this allows them to be used in work where the temperature ranges from -253 to +600 degrees Celsius.
Flat flange - what is it? This is a hardware that resembles a flat disk with holes. It is used when connectingparts of fittings, shafts, vessels, pipelines, devices and the like. With this element, parts of pipelines can be tightly fixed.
Loose flange - what is it? This species is not much different from the above. It consists of two parts: a conventional flange and a ring. It is important that they are made of the same material and have the same diameter and pressure. They are used where the work is most difficult, where it is difficult to perform installation. Due to the two parts, the connection will be tight and durable. First, a regular flange is connected (it is welded), and the other ring can then be safely rotated during operation.
Other classification
Special types of elements have been made for some types of work. Special flange - what is it? These are the same hardware, but in order to make some work convenient, their design has been slightly modified. They can also be welded, loose, cast, threaded. Only grooves are cut out on them or protrusions are welded. For their manufacture, special drawings are first developed and molds are cast. Such hardware is made by order of enterprises.
