Stub end

Stub ends are manufactured in three different types and two standard length.

Type “A”: this type is produced and machined to fit lap joint flanges.The mating surfaces of the stub end and the lap joint flange have a matching profile and surface. The lap thickness of type A stub ends is > = the minimum wall thickness of the connected pipe. The outside the stub end and the lap joint flange have a matching profile and surface. The lap thickness of type A stub ends is > = the minimum wall thickness of the connected pipe. The outside corner of type A has a radius to accommodate the lap join flange, whereas the inside corner is squared.

Type “B”: this type of stub ends is suited for standard slip-on flanges acting as lap-joint flanges. The lap thickness of type B stub ends is >= the minimum WT of the connecting pipe. The lap of these type of stub ends has generally a serrated face. To ensure tight joints, chamfers on the ID side of the flange are required.

Type “C”: this last type can be used both with lap joint and slip-on backing flanges and are fabricated out of pipes. The lap of C-type stub ends is flared over and the lap thickness is 75% of the connecting pipe WT. Type C has a short fillet outer radius able to host any back up flange.

Type “CS”: this type is similar to “C” with the difference that the lap face has concentric serrations machined during the manufacturing process.

Common Types and Lengths

Stub ends are usually manufactured in two ways, Type A and Type B. They are available in two standard length, long (ANSI) or short pattern (MSS).
Schedule 5s and 10s stub end are usually offered in short lengths, and long lengths are available on special order. Schedule 40s stub end are supplied in either short or long lengths.

Short / long pattern stub ends (ASA/MSS)

Short pattern (MSS) and long pattern stub ends (ASA)

Stub ends are available in two different patterns:

• the short pattern, called MSS-A stub ends
• the long pattern, called ASA-A stub ends (or ANSI length stub end)

Dimensions and manufacturing tolerances are covered in ASME B16.9 – Butt Weld Fittings and MSS-SP-43 (JIS B2312, JIS B2313 may also apply).

Stub End come in three standard lengths, MSS SP43 or ANSI B16.9 short and long pattern. Short pattern stub ends are mostly used for flanges from class 300 to class 600 and above. Besides these standard types, End-Users and contractors can require stub ends with non-standard lengths to suit specific project’s requirement. This will of course come at an additional cost.

Ends/Face lap finishing

ASME B16.25 END WELDING BEVEL as right

The following types of ends may be ordered:

Beveled Ends (generally ASME B16.25)
Squared Ends
Flanged Ends
Victaulic Grooves
Threaded Ends (Male Only)

Material for stub ends

Benefits

The use of stub ends has these two advantages:

Reduces the overall cost of the flanged joint Generally, the lap joint flange is of a lower grade than the material of the stub end and the pipework, thus saving the total weight of high-grade material used for the flanged joint.

Reduces the overall cost of the flanged joint

Generally, the lap joint flange is of a lower grade than the material of the stub end and the pipework, thus saving the total weight of high-grade material used for the flanged joint.

Example:

For an SS316 pipe, instead of using a full 316 welding neck flange, a combination of an SS316 stub end and a carbon steel lap joint flange would do the same exact job, but the total weight of SS316 material would be lower, and the cost as well.

Essentially, stub ends allow to minimize the weight of high-grade material in stainless, duplex, and nickel alloy piping, saving costs. Of course, the bigger the diameter and the class of the flanges, the higher the saving!

Commercial benefits

Commercial advantages are that the Stub End, will be wetted and it must be made of a grade of material that meets the process design and service conditions of the pipeline. However, the Lap Flange is un-wetted and it can be made of a lower grade of material as long as it meets
the mechanical strength requirements of the piping systems.

Stub end is widely used in the petroleum, chemical, power, gas, metallurgy, shipbuilding and construction industries. It is made from high quality raw materials, and available in a variety of sizes and designs. The combination of stub ends and backing flanges is an alternative way to join pipes compared to the use of standard flanges.

90° Lateral Wye R500 DN150 Export to Pilipinas with lap-joint flanges

This solution is used in these typical scenarios:

• Applications where rotating back flanges are preferred (to facilitate bolting)
• Pipelines in costly materials, as stainless steel, duplex, super-austenitic (example 6Mo), nickel alloy, titanium and zirconium: indeed, the use of stub ends for this type of pipelines helps End-Users and EPC Contractors reduce the total weight of the flanged joints and their total cost (example: in a stainless steel pipeline, carbon steel backing flanges can be used instead of standard stainless steel flanges – as they do not get in contact with the fluid conveyed by the pipeline – “unwetted materials”)
• High pressure pipelines

Why use Stub Ends?

A stud end and a lap joint flange can be used together as an alternative way to make a flanged connection than welding neck flanges.

The two devices to be combined, in this case, are:

• The stub end, which is essentially a piece of pipe, with one end flared outwards and the other prepared to be welded to a pipe of the same bore size (NPS = nominal pipe size), material and wall thickness. The most widely used fabrication tool for stub ends is the flaring machine, which is able to flare the end of the pipe and then cuts it to length.
• A Lap Joint Flange, which is used to actually bolt the two lengths of pipe together.