Main Page | See live article | Alphabetical index A flange is an external or internal rib, or rim, for strength, as the flange of an iron beam; or for a guide, as the flange of a car wheel; or for attachment to another object, as the flange on the end of a pipe, steam cylinder, etc. Knight. Alternatively, a flange can be a plate or ring to form a rim at the end of a pipe when fastened to the pipe. A blind flange is a plate for covering or closing the end of a pipe. A Flange joint is a joint, as that of pipes, where the connecting pieces have flanges by which the parts are bolted together. A Flange rail is a rail with a flange on one side, to keep wheels, etc. from running off. Flange turning is the process of forming a flange on a wrought iron plate by bending and hammering it when hot. See also flanging. This article is from Wikipedia. All text is available under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License.