Pipe & Flange Protection - A Quick Buyer's Guide

Read time: 11 minutes | Updated on: 27 May 2022

Product Resources

Protect revenue by preventing damage to pipes and pipe flanges

Avoid the high costs to repair – even replace – drill and oil-well pipes due to corrosion, mishandling and errors in manufacturing treatments. Essentra Components can help you with flange and pipe protection, with solutions ranging from plastic pipe end caps to plastic ribbed pipe end plugs.

This guide tells you what you should know, such as:

Shipping from a cold port to a hot climate?

Some of our pipe caps have a valve, or vent holes, to control pressure that builds in a metal pipe fitted with cap protection and loaded onto a container going from a cold shipping port – for instance, Holland – to a hot shipping port, such as Dubai.

Free: try before you buy

We recommend that you try before you buy to ensure you get the perfect pipe thread protector cap, push in plastic pipe plugs or flange protector caps – in short, whatever it is you need. Simply request free samples now.

Off-the-shelf, fast despatch solutions

Hassle-free service includes these solutions, available in bulk quantities to help you save.

Raised face flange protectors

The raised machine face on your flange is the critical area that needs protection. The flange protectors will help you maintain optimum condition and prevent leakage in storage or before installation.

FEATURES: Available in four key profiles: Studded, Plug, Adhesive and Push-In. All are quick and easy to install and stand up to sand blasting

MATERIAL: Durable PE is ozone, weather and petroleum resistant

SPECIFICATION: Protects DIN and ANSI flanges. Solutions available in a range of sizes

PERFECT FOR: Easy fitting face protection

Studded Raised Face Flange Protectors

Push Fit to apply
No fasteners required
Meets ANSI B16.5 and API specifications
Suitable for use on ASA and BS1560 flanges

Nominal pipe size	Class pressure rating
1/2"	125 – 1500
3/4"	125 – 1500
1"	125 – 1500
1-1/4"	125 – 1500
1-1/2A"	125 – 1500
2"	125 – 1500
2-1/2A"	125 – 1500
3"	125 – 900
3-1/2A"	125 – 300
4"	125 – 900
5"	150 – 300
6"	125 – 900
8"	125 – 600
10"	125 – 900
12"	125 – 900

More raised pipe flange protectors

Our pipe flange protection solutions also include:

Raised Face Flange Protector Plugs

Tapered design provides snug fit
Protects petroleum, gas and water-type valve flanges
Protects raised machine face and pipe interior from dirt and moisture during shot and sandblasting operations
Bolt holes are not covered by flange plugs
Fast installation – no fasteners required
Meets ANSI/ASME B16.5 specifications

Adhesive Raised Face Flange Protectors

Time saving installation: adhesive backed, peel and stick – no tools needed
Meets ANSI/ASME B16.5 specifications

Push-In Raised Face Flange Protectors

Protects internally coated flanges
Flexible fins for easy fit – no fasteners needed
Durable
Suitable for ANSI and DIN flanges

Full face flange protectors

Keep your flanges in top condition for a perfect fit while guarding against corrosion and dirt ingress during transport around the factory and shipyards.

FEATURES: Protects the entire surface of the flange or leaves bolts/bolt holes free to access. Available in five key profiles: Studded, Plug, Adhesive, Push-In and Bolt Hole

MATERIAL: PE protects during finishing, storage and transit. Bolt hole flange protectors’ PP material is cost-effective and offers good chemical and fatigue resistance

SPECIFICATION: Available in a range of sizes to support DIN and ANSI flanges

PERFECT FOR: DIN2627-2638, 150 BS5504 and ANSI B16.5

Studded Full Face Flange Protector

The BFP series are used to protect SAE Code 61 3000 PSI flanges
The XP series are used to protect SAE Code 62 6000 PSI flanges
Provides full coverage with lugs firmly positioned into bolt holes
Requires no fasteners

Nominal pipe size	Class pressure rating
1/2"	3000
1/2"	3000
3/4"	3000
3/4"	6000
1"	3000
1"	6000
1-1/4"	3000
1-1/4"	6000
1-1/2"	3000
1-1/2"	6000
2"	3000
2"	6000
2-1/2"	3000
3"	3000
3-1/2"	3000
4"	3000
5"	3000

More flange protection

Pipe plugs

Eliminate costly downtime by preventing debris from entering the pipe and damaging vital threads.

FEATURES: Ribbed pipe plugs are available in two styles with flexible ribs of different diameters to fit multiple schedules of NPT and drill pipe

MATERIAL: Tough LDPE offers weather and chemical resistance

SPECIFICATION: The straight wall on the plug’s O.D. provides a secure friction fit with the mating pipe’s Inside Diameter for excellent protection against contaminants. Compatible nominal pipe diameters range from .217in – 24.606in (5.5mm – 625mm)

PERFECT FOR: NPT line pipe & drill pipe

Ribbed Pipe-End Plugs

Secure friction fit with mating pipe’s I.D.
Excellent protection against contaminants
Available in two styles with flexible ribs of different diameters to fit multiple schedules of NPT and drill pipe

Ribbed Pipe-End Plugs

Flexible fins with a rib diameter for a snug fit
Excellent protection against contaminants

Pipe caps

Minimise the threat of rust and pollution to the pipe’s contents by preventing the entry of contaminants and foreign objects with a pipe end cap.

FEATURES: Flexible pipe caps offer a tight fit while recessed caps protect coatings, bevels and internal walls from damage during clamping by crane hooks

MATERIAL: Flexible pipe caps made of PE material are strong, durable and lightweight. Recessed pipe caps are made of LDPE for excellent chemical resistance to acids, alcohols, bases and esters

SPECIFICATION: Flexible pipe caps fit nominal pipe diameters, ranging from 2.374in – 64in (60.3mm – 1625.6mm). Recessed Caps are compatible with nominal pipe diameters that range from ½in – 48in (12.7mm – 1219.20mm)

PERFECT FOR: Pipes transported by crane hooks

Standard Size Pipe Caps

Made of flexible, yet rigid, LDPE
Internal ribs ensure tight fit and release after pressure build up
Also available with vent hole in these pipe sizes and bulk quantities. Examples include:

Nominal pipe size	Bulk pack quantity
2"	1000
2-1/2"	500
3"	350
3-1/2"	280
4"	192
5"	120
6"	80
8"	50
10"	28
12"	18

More plastic caps for pipe ends

Other caps that provide protection include:

Flexible Pipe Caps

Protects threaded or non-threaded pipe ends
Resistant to cracking and splitting
Ideal for withstanding temperatures of –40°F to 150°F (–40°C to 66°C) and will not crack or split under normal use
Outstanding toughness and puncture resistance
Good flexibility
DIN sizes available

Open-End Pipe Caps

Made of flexible, yet rigid, LDPE
Accepts crane hooks
Available with or without vent hole

Tapered Caps & Plugs – Standard

Made of flexible, yet rigid, LDPE
Caps multiple O.D.s and plugs multiple I.D.s

Tapered Caps & Plugs - Heavy-Duty

Made of flexible, yet rigid, LDPE
Rugged wall and seal rings for maximum protection
Caps multiple O.D.s and plugs multiple I.D.s

Tapered Caps & Plugs - Wide Flange

Made of flexible, yet rigid, LDPE; designed as both tapered round plugs with flange as well as pipe flange caps
Added protection on bearing surfaces
Wider flange keeps plug from being pushed down through mating part

Glossary of pipe and flange terms

To help you, we’ve put together some of the most commonly used terms and abbreviations you’re likely to hear regarding pipes and flanges.

ANSI	American National Standards. The organization which sets the specifications for standard pipe
ASME	American Society of Mechanical Engineers. ASME refers to their standards
BEARING LOAD	A compressive load supported by a member, usually a tube or collar, along a line where contact is made with a pin, rivet, axle or shaft
BEVEL	The angle formed between the prepared edge of the end of the pipe and a plane perpendicular to the surface. The bevel used for standard line pipe is 30˚
BEVELLED END	Pipe with its ends cut at an angle to facilitate the weld joint used to join separate lengths of pipe
BUSHING	A pipe fitting, threaded on both the inside and outside, used for joining pipes with different diameters
DIN	Deutsches Institut für Normung. In English: the German Institute for Standardization, which holds its own standards
DN	The metric equivalent of Nominal Pipe Size (NPS), conforming to the International Standards Organization (ISO)
FITTING	Any device used for connecting elements in fluid lines, including elbows, unions and flanges
I.D.	Inside diameter
IPS	Iron Pipe Size
KSI	K equals 1,000, thus the term is actually K (1,000) psi. The P has been dropped, and KSI is the new term (i.e. 50 KSI = 50,000 psi)
LGTH	Length or joint of pipe
MPT	Male pipe threads
NPT	National Pipe Thread (American standard thread)
O.D.	Outside Diameter
RUN	That portion of a fitting that goes in a straight line in the direction of the flow of the pieces of pipe to which it is connected
TAPER	A gradual change in the outside diameter of threads on pipe where the diameter at the ends of the pipe is the least
TOLERANCE(S)	Permissible variations or deviation from a dimension
UNION	A fitting with three parts, two threaded ends with a nut between them, used to join two pieces of pipe such that they may be easily disconnected
WALL THICKNESS	A given size and schedule of the thickness of the pipe, which is fixed and defined in the ASME standard
Y	A fitting that joins three sections of pipe sometimes called WYE

Download free CADs and try before you buy

Free CADs are available for most solutions, which you can download. You can also request free samples to make sure you’ve chosen exactly what you need. If you’re not quite sure which solution will work best for your application, our experts are always happy to advise you. You might find it helpful to read our Guide to pipe clamps.

Whatever your requirements, you can depend on fast despatch. Request your free samples or download free CADs now.

Questions?

Email us at sales@essentracomponents.com or speak to one of our experts for further information on the ideal solution for your application 800-847-0486.