Supplying the Oil Industry

since 1967

Welding Units (UK) Ltd

(An AF Global Company)
Mill Lane, Rainford, Merseyside WA11 8LR England
Tel:+44 (0) 1744 884881 Fax: +44 (0) 1744 883302
Email: sales.wu@afglobalcorp.com www.weldingunits.com

6A-0114

The UKs leading company in the design and

manufacture of flanges

at the leading edge...

Welding Units is the UKs foremost company in
the design and manufacture of flanges. Based
in Rainford since 1967, the company has
attained an enviable reputation for quality,
versatility and prompt service coupled with
design expertise and innovation which has
positioned the company at the leading edge
of the industry.
Welding Units quality, safety and environmental
targets have always been to maintain the highest
standards of accreditation and to exceed the
expectations of our clients on every project.
The companys in-house design department has
worked with world leaders in finite element
analysis providing the most comprehensive
and accurate FEA service available to flange
users.
Welding Units holds a wide range of raw forgings
for rapid and efficient custom manufacturing
in its extensive, computer controlled machining
and testing facility.
Please go to our website at:
www.weldingunits.com
for further information
or follow the link at
www.afglobalcorp.com

Welding Units (UK) Ltd - The Company

The Centre of Excellence for connector engineering and manufacture
The manufacturing facility boasts some of the
most technically advanced machines and
operating systems available.
All machines are CNC and programmed by fully
qualified operators on a job by job basis, they
are also connected to a central server that
allows remote programming from a single
source via CAM software.

Welding Units, an AF Global Company, is located

in the heartland of Britain with direct access to
motorway networks and Manchester and Liverpool airports. The site is home to our raw material stock, forging stock, manufacturing facility
and offices. Welding Units blends a first class
manufacturing facility with unrivalled
engineering support and a vast range of stock
material to give the customer an assurance of
the best quality product that will fully suit their
service requirements in the shortest possible
lead times.
The in-house engineering support service is
intended to help customers make the correct
decision about a flange best suited to their
application and then to provide analytical
analysis to verify the chosen design prior to
manufacture.

Welding Units holds a vast stock of raw material in

forged bar form and fully heat treated and tested
flange forgings. All material is produced for
Welding Units in accordance with our own
purchasing specifications, which ensures
manufacturing methods and chemistry are
correct and optimised to ensure the best quality
product. The forged bar stock is primarily
intended for project work where special forging
and testing requirements are imposed. Flange
forgings are stocked to provide immediate
response to customers requirements by providing
instant supply.

Manufacturing Range: ASME B16.5 / B16.47 Series A (MSS SP 44) and Series B (API 605), API 6A and 17D, Taper Lok, Anchor/Hanger Flanges,
Pipe in Pipe Bulkheads, Buckle Arrestors, 10 Misalignment Flanges, API Studded Crosses and Tees. Special components to 2,000mm Dia x 8,000kg.

Flange Design Service

Welding Units in house design facility has been
established for over fifteen years. It offers a
comprehensive range of design verification
methods to support products under our scope
of supply and also as a stand alone service for
any application.
All aspects of design services are available, from
formulae based swivel flange design verification
to fatigue analysis of special parts.

Formulae based calculations are performed

based on ASME VIII Division 1 methodology and
use an appropriate acceptance criteria depending
on flange type and service conditions.

It provides a relatively quick method of analysis

and much greater accuracy than formulae based
calculations for most applications.
Design verification is achieved by comparing
membrane stress and membrane + linearised
bending stress values across key sections of the
flange section against acceptance criteria as defined
by ASME VIII Division 2. Also, peak stresses are
observed at key locations where SCFs are critical
to an analysis (e.g. fatigue or HISC).
Linear material properties are used for flange
stress analysis while non-linear material properties
are used for assessing areas of strains if required.
The two dimensional FEA uses some assumptions
that may slightly compromise the accuracy of the
results (e.g. unable to model bolt holes or apply
shear or torsion forces). For ultimate accuracy
the next level of analysis is 3D volumetric FEA.

External loads are considered in the calculations

by converting to an equivalent pressure and
then performing the flange and bolt stress
calculations based on the combined pressure.

Formulae based flange design analysis is suitable

for providing a basic mandatory design verification
of a flange, however such analysis can be
conservative with regard to general geometry
and at the same time has the potential to miss
problematic key areas that are crucial to a
complete understanding of the flange behaviour
under load. A fuller picture of flange behaviour
is achieved by Finite Element Analysis (FEA)
technique.
Two dimensional axis-symmetric FEA is the most
popular method of design verification computer
simulation.

3D FEA is performed when intricate details of a

component are to be studied or when a part is
not symmetrical. Most common requirement for
3D work is to increase the accuracy of a flange
analysis by considering bolt holes and their effect
on joint rigidity, or accurately apply an array of
external loads, however the scope of 3D work is
infinite.
The 3D FEA is an extension of the 2D and only
generally used when greater accuracy of the
analysis is required. Stress results are gathered
in the same way as 2D for comparison against
the applicable design code.
Whichever analysis option is chosen, a
supporting report is always issued to
describe the method used, discuss the
results and provide a final conclusion to
the analysis.

Manufacturing Range: ASME B16.5 / B16.47 Series A (MSS SP 44) and Series B (API 605), API 6A and 17D, Taper Lok, Anchor/Hanger Flanges,
Pipe in Pipe Bulkheads, Buckle Arrestors, 10 Misalignment Flanges, API Studded Crosses and Tees. Special components to 2,000mm Dia x 8,000kg.

ASME Flanges
Welding Units is the customers first choice for
supply of ASME type flanges. Our ability to
manufacture any ASME type flange from our range
of stock material provides an essential quick
lead time and an ability to tailor each supply to
customers specific requirements.

Welding Units stocks a vast array of ASME weld

neck and blind flange forgings, in a range of
material to suit customers requirements. This
provides the benefit of being able to provide
standard and bespoke flanges in quick lead times.
Stock forgings held at Welding Units are
sourced from accredited forge masters and
comply with material standards that exceed
normal ASME requirements.

Welding Units machine shop can react immediately

to any requirement to transform a forging into a
finished piece within the shortest possible time.
The factory is equipped with state of the art
modern CNC machines that have the flexibility
to provide quick machining times whilst
maintaining outstanding accuracy.

Welding Units designs and manufactures ASME

type swivel flanges for use in subsea environments.
The swivel flange has a rotating outer bolt ring
to aid alignment of bolt holes when connecting
to standard ASME weld neck flanges in subsea
conditions.

Swivel Flange

Weld Neck Flange

All types of ASME flange can be supplied with

any requirement of CRA weld inlay, applied by
qualified weld procedures.

Manufacturing Range: ASME B16.5 / B16.47 Series A (MSS SP 44) and Series B (API 605), API 6A and 17D, Taper Lok, Anchor/Hanger Flanges,
Pipe in Pipe Bulkheads, Buckle Arrestors, 10 Misalignment Flanges, API Studded Crosses and Tees. Special components to 2,000mm Dia x 8,000kg.

API Flanges
Welding Units is an authentic, licensed
manufacturer of API monogrammed flanges.

API Materials Stocked

(PSL 4 and minimum Temperature Rating K):

API first granted Welding Units the right to use

their monogram back in the late 1960s. Since
then, the quality systems and material requirements
have evolved to produce the exacting standards
that are required today. Welding Units are fully
accredited to Product Specification Level 4.
An API licensed manufacturer must operate a
quality system specific to API Q1 requirements
and demonstrate that equipment and inspection
methods used conform to the relevant API
specifications. API carry out regular scheduled
and unscheduled audits to ensure that the
required standards are maintained at all stages
of production and test.
Welding Units also manufacture flanges
according to API 17D specification.
This specification controls flanges that are
aimed specifically at subsea applications so
include swivel type flanges in addition to
regular weld neck and blind flanges.

API 45K
API 60K
API 75K
API Flanges Supplied:
Weld Neck
Blind
Threaded
Swivel
Studded Adaptor
Specials
Our knowledge in manufacturing API flanges
provides our customers with reassurances of
quality and technical ability even when the
application of the monogram is not required.
Our experienced engineers can offer advice on
flange selection and compatibility between
different flange configurations, e.g. R, RX, BX
and SBX types.

All types of API flange can be supplied with any

requirement of CRA weld inlay, applied by
qualified weld procedures.

Above: Our API License - (No: 6A-0114)

Manufacturing Range: ASME B16.5 / B16.47 Series A (MSS SP 44) and Series B (API 605), API 6A and 17D, Taper Lok, Anchor/Hanger Flanges,
Pipe in Pipe Bulkheads, Buckle Arrestors, 10 Misalignment Flanges, API Studded Crosses and Tees. Special components to 2,000mm Dia x 8,000kg.

Anchor / Hanger Flanges

Welding Units is the customers first choice for
the supply of Anchor or Hanger type flanges.
Welding Units have the ability to perform
in-house pre-manufacture design analysis by
traditional formulae based calculation techniques
or more in-depth Finite Element Analysis that
ensures the most optimised flange design is
proposed for manufacture.

Anchor flanges are considered to be buried

within concrete and hanger flanges are
considered to be bolted to a structure.

Welding Units can design and manufacture any

practical size of Anchor or Hanger flange to suit
customers requirements. Normal design analysis
considers just a longitudinal thrust force to act
on the flange, so producing a bearing stress on
the supporting structure, but more in-depth
analyses consider a complete array of loading
to include shear, bending and torsion.

Hanger Flange

Anchor Flange
569.4
120.0

+MZA

224.7

+FYA

+MYA
+FZA

+MZB

+FYB
+MYB

+FZB

All types of Anchor / Hanger flange can be

supplied with any requirement of CRA weld
inlay, applied by qualified weld procedures.
Manufacturing Range: ASME B16.5 / B16.47 Series A (MSS SP 44) and Series B (API 605), API 6A and 17D, Taper Lok, Anchor/Hanger Flanges,
Pipe in Pipe Bulkheads, Buckle Arrestors, 10 Misalignment Flanges, API Studded Crosses and Tees. Special components to 2,000mm Dia x 8,000kg.

Taper-Lok Sub Sea Flanges

Subsea pipe lay and joint assembly needs to be
safe, quick and trouble free. Modern practices
for dropping and positioning pipeline and
spools can achieve astonishing accuracy but
a tolerance for final flange position is always
included in any work.

The sixth degree of freedom (roll) can be ignored

to some extent if swivel type flanges are to be used.
When connecting flanged joints subsea, the
amount of positional tolerance is critical to
achieve successful joint integrity. Traditional
flange types rely on joint faces being parallel
to get a perfect seal, which is dependent on
positional tolerance.
Flanges that meet face to face during bolt
tensioning rely on zero angular misalignment to
achieve a leak free seal, so accurate positioning
on the seabed is critical. Sometimes angular
misalignment in a joint is corrected by the bolt
tensioning process forcing the joint closed and
over straining the flange to close a gap, but this
practice is not recommended because of over
straining the flange and attached pipe work.

During lay, a theoretical box is drawn on the sea

bed into which the flange must be positioned.
This box controls the two most obvious degrees of
freedom (North/South & East/West) for position
but another three degrees of freedom must also
be considered (pitch, yaw & vertical) by the
pipeline designers.

Also, there is a real probability the flange will deform

and not close up evenly resulting in the loss of
seal integrity. This probability is exaggerated by
the use of compact flanges that do not have the
same rigidity as conventional ASME or API types
and will therefore deform more.
Some degree of angular misalignment when
assembling joints subsea is inevitable therefore
a connector that can deal with such a scenario is
essential. Welcome, Welding Units Taper-Lok.

2.0 Typical

Manufacturing Range: ASME B16.5 / B16.47 Series A (MSS SP 44) and Series B (API 605), API 6A and 17D, Taper Lok, Anchor/Hanger Flanges,
Pipe in Pipe Bulkheads, Buckle Arrestors, 10 Misalignment Flanges, API Studded Crosses and Tees. Special components to 2,000mm Dia x 8,000kg.

Taper-Lok Sub Sea Flanges

The Welding Units Taper-Lok flange is the
subsea flange that can accept angular misalignment.
A spherical male nose sealing mechanism provides
the Ball & Socket arrangement necessary to
accept angular misalignment.

Seal Ring

The Welding Units Taper-Lok is classified as a

compact flange because of weight savings over
corresponding ANSI or API flanges due to the
pressure energised seal and lenient design
methods. It has developed itself into the perfect
joint for subsea applications because of its
compactness, angular misalignment capacity
and ability to accommodate high external loads.
All types of Taper-Lok flange can be supplied
with any requirement of CRA weld inlay,
qualified by rigorous weld procedures
The Welding Units Taper-Lok joint is designed
to be assembled using conventional bolt
tensioning tools with 100% tool coverage for
greatest possible accuracy.

Spherical
Male Nose

Converging angles provide

the pressure energised seal
ring action.

Misalignment ability is achieved by the spherical

male nose representing the Ball and the
corresponding face on the seal ring representing
the Socket. The female sealing face remains
straight at 10 to allow the correct amount of
seating during bolt tensioning.

The amount of misalignment is designed into the

flange at the contract review stage of production.
The customer is asked to specify the degree of
misalignment they require, which is dependent
upon positional tolerance of the lay and fabrication
tolerances of the spools. Then, the design can be
generated. Typical range of angular misalignment
is up to 2.0

Conventional bolt tensioning

Diver friendly seal ring retention tools are

supplied as standard with every flange.

Manufacturing Range: ASME B16.5 / B16.47 Series A (MSS SP 44) and Series B (API 605), API 6A and 17D, Taper Lok, Anchor/Hanger Flanges,
Pipe in Pipe Bulkheads, Buckle Arrestors, 10 Misalignment Flanges, API Studded Crosses and Tees. Special components to 2,000mm Dia x 8,000kg.

Buckle Arrestors and Bulkheads

Welding Units offer a range of pipeline accessory
products manufactured from forged materials.
These include:

Welding Units insists these parts are proof

machined close to finish shape prior to heat
treatment. The correct material chemistry
is selected to assist with this requirement.

Buckle Arrestors
J Lay Collars
Pipe-in-Pipe Bulkheads
These parts can be manufactured to the clients
own design or Welding Units can help develop
suitable designs based on our wide experience
in sub-sea pipeline connector products and
applicable design codes. Design analysis can
be verified where required by established
mathematical techniques or by more in-depth
FEA analysis.

In-line style bulkhead

End bulkhead

Finite element analysis of Buckle Arrestors,

Collars or Bulkheads highlights key areas for
design refinement. Stress concentrations are
a significant concern of analysis due to the
dramatic contour change at key locations,
especially when fatigue analysis is required
due to significant cyclic loads.

Through section mechanical strength properties

for these components is essential to ensure
same load capacity as the attached pipes.

All types of bulkhead / buckle arrestor can be

supplied with any requirement of CRA weld
inlay, applied by qualified weld procedures.

Manufacturing Range: ASME B16.5 / B16.47 Series A (MSS SP 44) and Series B (API 605), API 6A and 17D, Taper Lok, Anchor/Hanger Flanges,
Pipe in Pipe Bulkheads, Buckle Arrestors, 10 Misalignment Flanges, API Studded Crosses and Tees. Special components to 2,000mm Dia x 8,000kg.

Misalignment Flange
The unique Taper-Lok sealing mechanism is
ideally suited for large deflection misalignment
flanges. It provides a simple solution to a
problematic situation.
The 2 seal ring/male nose radii included on
regular Welding Units Taper-Lok connectors
that assist with sub sea assembly, are extended
to provide up to 10 of angular misalignment.

Weld Neck

Seal

Ball

Swivel Ring

The flange is made up of four components:

Weld Neck: similar to a regular Taper-Lok
weld neck flange
Seal: regular Taper-Lok seal ring with a spherical
male face (same radius as the ball)
Ball: provides the 10 of angular misalignment
Swivel Ring: allows bolt holes to be aligned
prior to assembly.

The basic principle of the flange is a ball and

socket arrangement, that provides the
required angular misalignment whilst still
maintaining parallel flange faces, thus allowing
regular bolt tensioners to be used for assembly.

Stress analysis and design verification can be

achieved by regular ASME VIII type formulae
based calculations or by FEA. Analysis of the
joint in its misaligned condition requires 3D
analysis. For carbon / low alloy steel applications
we recommend the application of a minimum
3mm Inconel 625 weld inlay on and around the
seal faces. This ensures the critical parts will stay
in pristine condition throughout the flanges
lifetime so disassembly and re-assembly in a
different position can be performed any time.
Duplex and stainless steel flanges remain in the
as-machined condition.

Manufacturing Range: ASME B16.5 / B16.47 Series A (MSS SP 44) and Series B (API 605), API 6A and 17D, Taper Lok, Anchor/Hanger Flanges,
Pipe in Pipe Bulkheads, Buckle Arrestors, 10 Misalignment Flanges, API Studded Crosses and Tees. Special components to 2,000mm Dia x 8,000kg.

Studded and Butt Weld

Block Fittings
Welding Units has the ability to supply studded
or butt weld type block fittings in a range of
carbon, stainless or duplex steels.
Materials are sourced from established supply
routes that provide short lead times and high
integrity components. The latest precision
CNC machining centres within Welding Units
machine shop ensures that the end product is
manufactured in the fastest possible time to
the highest quality standards.
Typical range of studded and butt weld block
fittings are:
API 6A Studded Block Crosses, Tees & Elbows
Butt Weld Block Crosses, Tees & Elbows
Butt Weld Weldo Flanges (branch outlet
flanges)

8 1500lb RTJ Studded Block 90 Elbow

Material: ASTM F182 F304L
Features: Special design for
SONATRACH-ALGERIA
1

/2 NB Dual Connection
Instrument Mounting Block
Material: ASTM A182 F316
Features: Special design
using unique Taper Lok
sealing mechanism

API 6A type 51/2 10,000psi Studded Crossover

Material: ASTM A182 F51

Typical supply of studded blocks is based on

dimensions to API 6A Specification, further
complemented by customised designs for larger
nominal sizes. Special components can be
designed and engineered in-house at Welding
Units to suit specific client requirements.
Latest computer aided design and manufacturing
techniques link the design department to
manufacturing and quality assurance.

10

All types of fitting can be supplied with any

requirement of CRA weld inlay, applied by
qualified weld procedures.

Manufacturing Range: ASME B16.5 / B16.47 Series A (MSS SP 44) and Series B (API 605), API 6A and 17D, Taper Lok, Anchor/Hanger Flanges,
Pipe in Pipe Bulkheads, Buckle Arrestors, 10 Misalignment Flanges, API Studded Crosses and Tees. Special components to 2,000mm Dia x 8,000kg.

Material Science
Material science is a major area of interest to Welding Units. Integrity
of raw materialis a critical aspect of product quality and assured lead
time. Emphasis is placed on control of the manufacturing processes that
contribute to required material strength, impact properties and
corrosion resistance, and particular processes that refine final
microstructure of the steel.

Welding Units material science has been developed by many years of

experience and a specialist research project to investigate influences
of chemistry, forging practices, heat treatment procedures and
sample preparation.
One of the key challenges for ASTM A694 F65 material is to avoid
Charpy impact test failures at critical testing temperatures. In-depth
research work has been carried out by Welding Units to determine
the necessary grain microstructure for successful and consistent impact
test results. Investigative techniques have included practical testing
and micrographic examinations by scanning electron microscope.
Welding Units have accumulated extensive knowledge relating to the production of forgings in Duplex
(22% Cr) and Super Duplex (25%Cr) grade materials. The design of a flange manufactured from such
materials is of significant importance but will be super critical should concerns relating to Hydrogen Induced
Stress Cracking (HISC) be a considered factor. Forging manufacture requires carefully controlled procedures
and practices to ensure fine grain refinement and spacing, thus reducing the possibility of defects occurring
within the forged product.
The production of flanges in Duplex / Super Duplex steels requires particular care and attention due to the
demanding service for which they are normally intended - Welding Units are ideally placed to deliver the
integrity and quality required of such products.
Manufacturing Range: ASME B16.5 / B16.47 Series A (MSS SP 44) and Series B (API 605), API 6A and 17D, Taper Lok, Anchor/Hanger Flanges,
Pipe in Pipe Bulkheads, Buckle Arrestors, 10 Misalignment Flanges, API Studded Crosses and Tees. Special components to 2,000mm Dia x 8,000kg.

11

Machine Shop
Welding Units machine shop boasts the most
sophisticated CNC borers, lathes and multi-axis
machining centres. A policy of extensive
re-investment at Welding Units ensures the most
reliable, powerful and accurate work centres are
available for all machining work. Welding Units
also proudly boasts an experienced skilled work
force that ensures the best results are gained
from each machine.

The machine shop is complemented by an

equally capable and equipped final inspection
department. It operates independently of the
machine shop so providing a impartial review
and conclusion on all parts emerging from the
machine shop. All final inspection dimensional
control equipment is mandatorily calibrated
at frequent intervals by an external body thus
ensuring consistent and accurate results.
The machine shop is further enhanced by the
latest cutting tool technology. Cutting tools
are purposely selected according to the grade of
material being machined, ranging through Carbon,
Stainless, Duplex or Nickel Alloy steels.

Non destructive test facilities also complement

the machine shop activities and provide the
customer with the final reassurance of product
integrity.

The machines have a capacity range from 5mm

to 2,000mm and maximum handling weight of
15Tonnes. All machines are directly linked to
Cad/Cam software thus providing the option for
intricate machining work to be programmed and
executed in the shortest possible lead time.

12

Manufacturing Range: ASME B16.5 / B16.47 Series A (MSS SP 44) and Series B (API 605), API 6A and 17D, Taper Lok, Anchor/Hanger Flanges,
Pipe in Pipe Bulkheads, Buckle Arrestors, 10 Misalignment Flanges, API Studded Crosses and Tees. Special components to 2,000mm Dia x 8,000kg.

at the leading edge...

Welding Units is the UKs foremost company in
the design and manufacture of flanges. Based
in Rainford since 1967, the company has
attained an enviable reputation for quality,
versatility and prompt service coupled with
design expertise and innovation which has
positioned the company at the leading edge
of the industry.
Welding Units quality, safety and environmental
targets have always been to maintain the highest
standards of accreditation and to exceed the
expectations of our clients on every project.
The companys in-house design department has
worked with world leaders in finite element
analysis providing the most comprehensive
and accurate FEA service available to flange
users.
Welding Units holds a wide range of raw forgings
for rapid and efficient custom manufacturing
in its extensive, computer controlled machining
and testing facility.
Please go to our website at:
www.weldingunits.com
for further information
or follow the link at
www.afglobalcorp.com

Supplying the Oil Industry

since 1967

Welding Units (UK) Ltd

(An AF Global Company)
Mill Lane, Rainford, Merseyside WA11 8LR England
Tel:+44 (0) 1744 884881 Fax: +44 (0) 1744 883302
Email: sales.wu@afglobalcorp.com www.weldingunits.com

6A-0114

The UKs leading company in the design and

manufacture of flanges