A flange is a bolted, removable joint \u2014 the flat, ringed collar you see where two sections of pipe, a valve, or a pump meet and clamp together with bolts and a gasket. It is the point in a line where you can disconnect, inspect, or swap a component without cutting anything. The main flange types \u2014 weld neck, slip-on, socket weld, threaded, lap joint, blind, and orifice \u2014 differ in how they attach to the pipe and what pressure and service each one suits.<\/p>\n\n
This guide walks through every common flange, the three sealing faces, the standards that govern sizing, and where each choice fits. It also covers something most flange articles skip: how a plastic system like PPR bolts to metal valves and pumps. If you are also specifying the pipe itself, our PPR pipe guide<\/a> covers properties, installation, and selection in one place.<\/p>\n\n