Let's briefly define what flange means. The construction element that creates the tight connection of two machine or installation elements is called flange. It is an element produced as standard. The word flange came to our language from German. Its German equivalent is Flansch (pronounced flange). It can be produced from different materials such as iron, copper or brass, depending on the place of use. Flanges are mainly classified according to their pressure and size. They usually have a circular structure. Flange is formed by connecting two circles with bolts. The number of bolt holes is not fixed, the number of bolt holes may vary depending on the pressure class. As we mentioned above, flanges are generally circular in shape, but they are also rarely rectangular or elliptical. There are flange types in many different standards around the world.

How are flange dimensions determined?

There are some data to consider when determining the size of a flange. Some of the data to consider are:

Pressure value of the installation
Temperature value of the installation
Flange material
Pipe diameter of the installation
In addition to these, the 5 main values ​​that affect the size of the flange are as follows;

Inner diameter, d dimension
Outer diameter, D dimension
Bolt circle diameter, C dimension
Wall thickness, i.e. T size
Number of bolts
What are the flange types?
 

What are the flange types?

There are many different standards and types of flange models. It is possible to list a few of them as follows;

Blind flange
Threaded flange (Threaded)
Socket welding flange (Socket welding)
slip on flange
Let's make a footnote about the blind flange, which is one of the most frequently asked and curious flange types. We can give the answer to the question of what is a blind flange as follows. English equivalent is Blind flange. The Turkish meaning is blind flange. It is one of the flange types used to blind the pipeline, as well as to close the pipe end.

What does the flange do?

The flange is used for sealing the installation elements. There are many uses available. The general use of the flange is mainly pipe installations. However, they can also be used on machines. They are also used for connecting machine parts to each other. It is possible to be welded or threaded to the installation or the machine. One of the biggest problems in flanges may be the failure to provide sealing. One of the reasons for this is incorrect assembly. Imperfections are inevitable when assembly is applied. In order to reduce damages and ensure tightness, the torque of the bolts should be tightened in a controlled manner, so that possible malfunctions or problems will be significantly eliminated.

How is flange produced?

The flange production process is divided into 2 parts, forging and casting. Cast flanges have a lower cost and only need a simple operation. Forged flanges, on the other hand, may have air holes, cracks or some manufacturing defects, so they may not be very smooth. The advantage of the forged flange is that they can be forged in a variety of ways. It is also low in cost. Forged flanges generally have a lower carbon content than cast flanges. Therefore, it is not easy to rust. Flange materials consist of materials such as stainless steel, cast iron, aluminum, brass, bronze, plastic and so on. We can say that the most used material in flange production is forged carbon steel.