Technical knowledge for piping materials

All knowledge pages in English

Technical reference pages in English – dimension tables and standards guides, maintained by our team:

• Flange standards explained: EN 1092-1, DN, PN, types & sealing faces – the flange hub: DN vs PN, old DIN numbers mapped to today's EN 1092-1 type numbers, and the sealing face forms A–H with roughness values.
• Flange dimensions PN 6 to PN 40 to EN 1092-1 – bolt circles, bolt holes, raised faces, pipe ODs and bolt sizes for DN 10 to DN 800, one table per pressure rating.
• Welding neck flange type 11: dimensions to EN 1092-1 – plate thickness, height, hub diameter and wall thickness by DN and PN, DN 10 to DN 800, with a dimensional drawing and ordering example.
• Blind flange type 05: dimensions to EN 1092-1 – plate thickness and weights by DN and PN, DN 10 to DN 800, with a dimensional drawing and ordering example.
• Plate flange type 01: dimensions to EN 1092-1 – bore B1, plate thickness and weights by DN and PN, DN 10 to DN 800, with a dimensional drawing and ordering example.
• Threaded flange type 13: dimensions to EN 1092-1 – thread Rp to ISO 7-1, plate thickness, height and hub diameter by DN and PN, DN 10 to DN 150, with a dimensional drawing and ordering example.
• Loose flanges type 02 and 04: dimensions to EN 1092-1 – the two-piece loose flange systems with plain collar 32 and welding neck collar 34, bore, collar thickness and weights per part, with dimensioned pairing drawings.
• ASME B16.5 flange dimensions: Class 150 to Class 2500 – bolt circle W, outside diameter O, raised-face diameter R, hole pattern Z × I, pipe OD and stud size, one table per pressure class, nominal sizes 1/2" to 24".
• Flange types international: ASME styles and their EN 1092-1 equivalents – weld neck, slip-on, threaded, socket weld, lap joint and blind mapped to EN types 11, 01, 13, 02/04 and 05, with facing codes and a DIN ↔ ASTM material cross-reference.
• EN 1092-1 vs ASME B16.5: flange standards compared – DN vs NPS, PN vs Class, dimensional comparison PN 16 vs Class 150 and why an adapter is needed between the two standards worlds.
• Flange connections and installation: the system of flange, gasket and bolt – sealing principle via bolt preload, installation sequence with cross-pattern tightening in stages, typical failure modes and inspection.
• Flat gaskets explained: types, materials, selection, installation – the gasket hub: how surface pressure seals a joint, the soft/semi-metallic/metallic gasket families, dimension standards EN 1514-1, DIN 2690 and ASME B16.20/21, and selection and installation criteria.
• Graphite gaskets explained: construction, service limits, resistance – laminate construction with a stainless steel insert, oxidation limit instead of melting point, chemical resistance and typical properties.
• Spiral-wound, camprofile and RTJ gaskets explained – construction and colour-code marking of spiral-wound gaskets to ASME B16.20, camprofile and metal-jacketed gaskets, ring-joint gaskets R/RX/BX to API 6A.
• Gasket installation and bolting: how the joint stays sealed – the proven 7-step installation sequence, bolt preload and lubrication (never the gasket), cross-pattern tightening in stages, and typical failure patterns with root causes.
• Flat gaskets to EN 1514-1: dimension table form IBC – inside/outside diameter d1/d2 by pressure rating, form IBC, DN 10 to DN 500, PN 2.5 to PN 40, verified against the manufacturer's dimension table.
• Flat gaskets to DIN 2690 (withdrawn): dimension table for existing plant – complete dimension table DN 4 to DN 1400, PN 6 to PN 40, verified against the manufacturer's table, for identification and maintenance of existing plant.
• Malleable iron fittings to EN 10242 – standards, whiteheart malleable cast iron, threads R/Rp to EN 10226-1, sealing, finishes and GF type numbers.
• Inspection documents to EN 10204 – certificate types 2.1, 2.2, 3.1 and 3.2, the old "3.1B", plausibility checks and forgery warning signs.
• About this knowledge: how our content is created and maintained – where the figures come from, how we check them against the standards, and why every page shows when its content last changed.
• Steel tees – dimensional drawing – EN 10253-2: centre-to-end dimensions F and G, pressure factor type A/B, limit deviations and roundness per welding end, with dimensional drawings.
• Stainless steel tees – dimensional drawing – EN 10253-4: centre-to-end dimensions F and G, pressure factor type A/B, limit deviations and roundness per welding end, with dimensional drawings.
• Steel reducers – dimensional drawing – EN 10253-2: overall length L, pressure factor to Annex C, limit deviations per welding end, concentric and eccentric, with dimensional drawings.
• Stainless steel reducers – dimensional drawing – EN 10253-4: overall length L, pressure factor to Annex C, limit deviations per welding end, concentric and eccentric, with dimensional drawings.
• Steel caps – dimensional drawing – EN 10253-2: outside diameter, wall thickness, overall height K, pressure factor and limit deviations, with dimensional drawing for every size.
• Stainless steel caps and dished ends – dimensional drawing – EN 10253-4: caps and dished ends, overall height K, pressure factor and limit deviations, with dimensional drawing for every size.
• Steel elbows – dimensional drawing – EN 10253-2: dimensional drawing, dimension tables and limit deviations for every size, designs 2D/3D/5D, type A/B.
• Stainless steel elbows – dimensional drawing – EN 10253-4: dimensional drawing, dimension tables and limit deviations for every size, designs 2D/3D/5D, type A/B.
• Steel pipes explained: EN 10216/10217, seamless or welded, test categories TC1/TC2 – how a pipe is designated (EN 10220), seamless or welded, the standard families EN 10216/10217 with the old DIN numbers, test categories TR/TC, materials from P235GH to P91, boiler tubes, threaded pipes to EN 10255, pipe vs tube and the EN/NPS dimension systems – with our stock programme.
• Materials compared: DIN, EN designations and ASTM by product form – material numbers and EN steel names with the old DIN designations, the ASTM chain per product form (pipe, fitting, forging/flange, cast steel), cast materials to EN 1561/1563, stainless steels EN ↔ AISI ↔ UNS, brass and bronze – orientation, not equivalence.
• Standards in piping: DIN, EN, ISO – and what became of the old DIN numbers – the three levels DIN, CEN/EN and ISO, what the prefixes mean, and the look-up table old DIN number → current EN standard for pipes, fittings, flanges, gaskets, threads, valves and inspection documents – with the national DIN standards that remain in force.
• Tolerances and limit deviations: why they exist and how to read them – nominal size, limit deviation, limit sizes and tolerance told apart, how a limit gets into a standard (the three-part rule for the outside diameter), the thirteen ways a standard sets a limit, why "no limit" means three different things, and what all this means at goods inward.
• Tees explained: EN 10253-2/-4 and DIN 2615, equal and reducing, selection – what a butt-welding tee is, equal and reducing designs, from DIN 2615 to EN 10253, the six words that get mixed up (drawn, necked, welded, type, equal, X), centre-to-end dimensions F and G, tolerances and EN versus ASME B16.9.
• Reducers explained: concentric or eccentric, FOT/FOB and standards – concentric and eccentric reducers, flat side on top (FOT) or on bottom (FOB), why the transition is conical, from DIN 2616 to EN 10253-2/-4 – and what part 1 and part 2 of DIN 2616 really contained –, tolerances and EN versus ASME B16.9.
• Elbow basics: designs 2D/3D/5D, angles, type A/B and manufacture – the material-independent part of elbow knowledge – the four parts of EN 10253, pressure factor X and the difference type A / type B, bend radii 2D/3D/5D with selection criteria (space, pressure loss, erosion, pigging, stresses), 45° versus 90°, seamless (S) versus welded (W), EN versus ASME B16.9. Deliberately without dimensions.
• Closing a pipe end: cap, dished end, blind flange, plug or spectacle blind – six closures side by side – permanent or reopenable, blocking during operation, size range, height, pressure, material and cost – plus the words that get mixed up on the market and what the standard deliberately leaves open.
• Dished ends and caps: torispherical heads to DIN 28011 and caps to DIN 2617 – geometry of crown, knuckle and straight flange, the torispherical heads we carry with dimensions and weights, the semi-ellipsoidal head to DIN 28013, the cap to DIN 2617 / EN 10253 as a welded pipe closure, why a fire bowl is not a dished end and what an enquiry needs.
• Test methods explained: destructive, non-destructive – and how much is tested – destructive tests on specimens versus non-destructive testing on the component, the six NDT methods VT, PT, MT, UT, RT and ET compared, dye penetrant in practice, selection rules of thumb, leak testing and why the extent of testing is set by the standard and the order.
• Stainless steel threaded fittings: threads, standards and why lengths vary – the thread is standardised and interchangeable across manufacturers, the fitting body only partly (ISO 4144, not EN 10241), the manufacturing methods behind differing lengths and weights, V2A and V4A as trade names, “light/medium/heavy” as loose terms, ASME B16.11 and NPT, and eight common mix-ups.
• Copper tubes to EN 1057: tempers, dimensions and applications – what EN 1057 regulates, the three tempers R220 / R250 / R290 in coils and straight lengths, reading the marking, the dimension table from 6 × 1 to 108 × 2.5 mm with inside diameter, weight, water content and availability, the coated and pre-insulated system variants and how copper tube is joined.
• Boiler tubes – dimensional drawing – Seamless hot finished steel tubes for elevated temperatures to EN 10216-2: Zickwolff dimension overview with outside diameter, wall thickness, weight per metre and the limit deviations for every dimension – with dimensional drawing.
• Seamless stainless steel tubes – dimensional drawing – Seamless tubes of stainless steels to EN 10216-5, cold and hot finished: Zickwolff dimension overview with outside diameter, wall thickness, weight per metre and the limit deviations for every dimension – with dimensional drawing.
• Welded steel tubes – dimensional drawing – Welded steel tubes for pressure purposes at room temperature to EN 10217-1: Zickwolff dimension overview with outside diameter, wall thickness, weight per metre and the limit deviations for every dimension – with dimensional drawing.
• Welded stainless steel tubes – dimensional drawing – Welded tubes of stainless steels to EN 10217-7: Zickwolff dimension overview with outside diameter, wall thickness, weight per metre and the limit deviations for every dimension – with dimensional drawing.
• Precision steel tubes – dimensional drawing – Seamless cold drawn precision steel tubes for hydraulic and pneumatic pressure lines to EN 10305-4: Zickwolff dimension overview with outside diameter, wall thickness, weight per metre and limit deviations – with dimensional drawing.
• Standards in comparison – what changed between editions – Per component: which dimensional statements changed between editions of EN 10253, EN 10216, EN 10217, EN 10305-4 and EN 10088-1 – with the source and the editions we cover.
• Identify a flange: determine the size from measured dimensions – Identify an unknown flange: enter the outside diameter, flange thickness, number of bolt holes and bolt circle and find the matching size to EN 1092-1 – calculated from the limit deviations of the standard, with the source for every dimension.
• Press systems and joining methods: systems, system finder, comparison and calculator – Function of the press joint, profile and sealing element, SC-Contur; overview of the stocked systems from Viega, Sanha, Geberit and GF with material, sizes, pressure and temperature and availability; system finder, joining methods comparison, cost comparison calculator; Megapress for thick-walled steel pipe.
• Viega Megapress: press connectors for thick-walled steel pipe ⅜–4 inch – Construction and function of the press connector, permissible steel pipes to EN 10255 and EN 10220 with wall thicknesses per size, sealing elements EPDM/FKM/HNBR and media, flange adapter, sprinkler use, distinction from Prestabo and Profipress, availability.
• Viega Megapress S and S XL: FKM up to 140 °C, district heating, 2½–4 inch – What distinguishes Megapress S from the standard system (FKM sealing ring, temperature and pressure limits per field of application, local and district heating to AGFW FW 524), the XL sizes 2½–4 inch with pipes and wall thicknesses, press ring and Press Booster, flange adapters PN 6 to PN 40.
• Megapress or welding? Joining steel pipe in existing plant – Comparison of the press joint with the weld seam on thick-walled steel pipe: fire protection and hot work, qualification, testing, size, pressure and temperature, detachability, downtime; when grooved coupling or flange are the better choice; decision aid and limits.
• Press system finder – by medium, pipe material and size – Which press, push-fit or coupling system is approved for medium, pipe material and size – with sealing element, limits, profile and availability; decision table application × system
• Joining methods compared – seven methods, ten criteria – Press, push-fit, grooved coupling, welding, thread, flange and soldering by assembly time, qualification, hot work, testing, tooling, size, detachability, existing stock, codes and sealing principle – with the origin of every statement.
• Cost comparison calculator for joining methods – time, cost, downtime – Assembly time, cost and downtime per joining method from two mandatory inputs (size, fittings); hourly rate, material and ancillary work optional; worked example with two scenarios.
• ASME and ASTM standards: profiles of the standards we trade – What ANSI, ASME and ASTM are, how dimension standard, material specification and pipe size belong together, 13 standard profiles with European counterparts, the Pressure Equipment Directive for ASTM materials, inspection intervals as a question, availability at Zickwolff.
• ASME B16.5: Pipe flanges and flanged fittings NPS 1/2 through NPS 24 – NPS 1/2 to 24 in Classes 150, 300, 400, 600, 900 and 1500, Class 2500 up to NPS 12. Flange types weld neck, slip-on, threaded, lap joint, socket weld and blind, facings RF (standard), FF, RTJ, tongue-and-groove, male-and-female. Above NPS 24 see B16.47.
• ASME B16.9: Factory-made wrought buttwelding fittings – NPS 1/2 to 48 (DN 15 to 1200), any wall thickness that can be made. Elbows 45°, 90° and 180° long radius (1.5 × NPS) and short radius (1 × NPS), 3D bends, equal and reducing tees, concentric and eccentric reducers, caps, lap-joint stub ends. Wall thickness follows the pipe schedule of B36.10M/B36.19M, the rating follows the pipe of the same wall.
• ASME B16.25: Buttwelding ends – The usual bevel is 37.5° ± 2.5° with a root face of 1.6 ± 0.8 mm (single V) – thick walls get a compound bevel. Thin walls (below about 5 mm, austenitic below 3 mm) are cut square or lightly bevelled. The standard is referenced by B16.9, B16.5 and the ASTM pipe specifications for plain or bevelled ends.
• ASME B36.10M: Welded and seamless wrought steel pipe – NPS 1/8 to 80. Schedules 5, 10, 20, 30, 40, 60, 80, 100, 120, 140, 160 plus STD, XS and XXS. Up to NPS 10 STD equals Sch 40 and XS equals Sch 80, from NPS 12 they diverge (STD stays 9.53 mm, XS 12.70 mm). Up to NPS 12 the outside diameter is larger than the nominal size, from NPS 14 NPS equals the outside diameter in inches.
• ASME B36.19M: Stainless steel pipe – NPS 1/8 to 30, Schedules 5S, 10S, 40S and 80S. 40S equals Sch 40 and 80S equals Sch 80 only up to NPS 10 (and 40S equals STD, 80S equals XS up to NPS 12). Heavier stainless walls are taken from B36.10M. Steel by A312 (seamless and welded austenitic pipe), A790 for duplex.
• ASTM A105/A105M: Carbon steel forgings for piping applications – No grade subdivision. Tensile strength min. 485 MPa (70 ksi), yield min. 250 MPa (36 ksi), elongation min. 22 %, reduction of area min. 30 %, hardness max. 187 HBW. Design temperature in piping practice about −29 °C to 425 °C. Normalised delivery is ordered as A105N. No impact test unless ordered – below −29 °C the sister standard A350 applies.
• ASTM A106/A106M: Seamless carbon steel pipe for high-temperature service – NPS 1/8 to 48 in the schedules of B36.10M. Grades A, B and C by strength: Grade B (the usual one) tensile min. 415 MPa (60 ksi), yield min. 240 MPa (35 ksi), carbon max. 0.30 %. Grade A softer (330/205 MPa), Grade C stronger (485/275 MPa). Tolerances: wall min. −12.5 %. No impact requirement – below −29 °C use A333.
• ASTM A182/A182M: Forged or rolled alloy and stainless steel pipe flanges, forged fittings, valves and parts – Grades with the prefix F: ferritic-alloy F1, F5, F9, F11 (Class 2 usual), F12, F22 (Class 3 usual), F91 – austenitic F304, F304L, F304H, F316, F316L, F316H, F316Ti, F321, F347 – duplex F51 (2205), F53 and F55 (superduplex), F44 (6Mo). Typical strength austenitic: F316 515/205 MPa, F316L 485/170 MPa, elongation 30 %. Use range F304/F316 about −268 °C to 537 °C, duplex not above about 300 °C.
• ASTM A234/A234M: Piping fittings of wrought carbon steel and alloy steel for moderate and high temperature service – Grades WPA, WPB and WPC (carbon steel) and WP1, WP5, WP9, WP11, WP12, WP22, WP91 (alloy, with classes). WPB is the standard: tensile 415 to 585 MPa, yield min. 240 MPa, carbon max. 0.30 %, use range about −29 °C to 425 °C, no impact requirement. Welded fittings carry the suffix W, seamless S.
• ASTM A333/A333M: Seamless and welded steel pipe for low-temperature service – Grades 1, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 and 11, differing in nickel and manganese. Grade 6 (impact test at −45 °C / −50 °F) is the standard, Grade 3 (3.5 % Ni) is tested at −100 °C, Grade 8 (9 % Ni) at −195 °C. Seamless up to NPS 30, welded larger. Dimensions to B36.10M.
• ASTM A350/A350M: Carbon and low-alloy steel forgings requiring notch toughness testing for piping components – Grades LF1, LF2, LF3, LF5, LF6, LF9 and LF787. LF2 Class 1 is the standard: impact test at −46 °C (−50 °F), average min. 18 J, tensile 485 to 655 MPa, yield min. 250 MPa, otherwise the strength of A105. LF1 is tested at −29 °C, LF3 (3.5 % Ni) at −101 °C, LF2 Class 2 at −18 °C with higher energy.
• ASTM A403/A403M: Wrought austenitic stainless steel piping fittings – Grades WP304, WP304L, WP304H, WP316, WP316L, WP316H, WP321, WP321H, WP347, WP347H, WP310S and others. Classes by manufacture and test: WP-S seamless, WP-W welded with radiography of the fitting weld, WP-WX welded with full radiography, WP-WU with ultrasonic test, CR grades for low-pressure fittings to MSS SP-43. Strength WP316 515/205 MPa, WP316L 485/170 MPa.
• ASTM A420/A420M: Piping fittings of wrought carbon steel and alloy steel for low-temperature service – Grades WPL6 (impact test at −46 °C / −50 °F, average min. 18 J), WPL9, WPL3 (3.5 % Ni, −101 °C) and WPL8 (9 % Ni, −196 °C). WPL6: tensile min. 415 MPa, yield min. 240 MPa, carbon max. 0.30 %, manganese 0.60 to 1.35 %, fine-grain practice, normalised. Dimensions to B16.9 and B16.11.
• Viega Profipress: press connectors for copper pipe 12–64 mm – Copper pipe EN 1057, connectors in copper, gunmetal and silicon bronze, EPDM and SC-Contur, sizes and availability from stock, variants G (gas, HNBR) and S (solar, FKM), media per sealing element, transitions, what it is not.
• Viega Sanpress: gunmetal press connectors for stainless steel pipe 12–108 mm – Stainless steel pipe 1.4401/1.4521 with connectors in gunmetal and silicon bronze, EPDM and SC-Contur, sizes and availability from stock, Sanpress G for gas, media per sealing element, mixed installation, distinction from Sanpress Inox and Sanha NiroSan.
• Viega Sanpress Inox: all-stainless press system 15–108 mm – Connector and pipe in stainless steel, EPDM and SC-Contur, XL with press ring, availability from stock, Inox G for gas and heating oil, LF for oxygen, FKM for district heating and steam, media per sealing element, what it is not.
• Viega Temponox: stainless steel press system for heating and cooling 15–108 mm – Connectors 1.4301, system pipe 1.4520, EPDM and SC-Contur, brown marking without drinking water approval, sizes and availability from stock, media for closed circuits, transitions, distinction from Sanpress Inox, Prestabo and SANHA-Therm.
• SANHA NiroSan: stainless steel press system 15–168.3 mm – Fittings 1.4404, pipes 1.4404/1.4521 up to 168.3 mm, EPDM 16 bar up to 120 °C, profiles SA/V/M, leaks when unpressed, availability from stock, NiroSan Gas and Industry, media, transitions, distinction from Viega Sanpress Inox.
• Geberit Mepla: multilayer pipe press system d16–d75 – Multilayer composite pipe PE-RT/AL/PE-RT, fittings in PPSU, brass and gunmetal, CIIR sealing rings, leaks when unpressed, sizes and availability, media with limits, tools, transitions, distinction from FlowFit, Raxofix and iFIT.
• Geberit FlowFit: multilayer pipe press system with lateral pressing technology d16–d75 – System pipe ML, ML Therm and PB, PPSU fittings with EPDM, lateral pressing technology with two jaws, press indicator, inspection window, sizes and availability, media, transitions, distinction from Mepla and iFIT.
• GF iFIT: push-fit system d16–d32 – tool-free, detachable – Push-fit system without press machine, PPSU modules with modular adapter technology, polybutene and multilayer pipe, drinking water, heating and air conditioning up to 70 °C / 10 bar, availability from stock, detachability, transitions, when push-fit instead of pressing.
• Multilayer and push-fit systems: Mepla, FlowFit, Raxofix, iFIT compared – Four floor-level systems for multilayer and polybutene pipe: joining technology, sizes, sealing element, limits, availability, media compared, Raxofix in detail, when multilayer instead of metal and push-fit instead of pressing.
• Mixed installation and corrosion: flow rule and material pairings – What a mixed installation is, the flow rule (less noble first, then more noble), behaviour of copper, stainless steel, galvanised and unalloyed steel, gunmetal and multilayer pipe, external corrosion from chlorides and screed moisture, transitions between systems, evidence from the manufacturers' documents.
• Press profiles and tools: profiles, jaws, rings, machines – Why the profile makes the joint, profile families of the manufacturers (Viega SC-Contur/V, Sanha SA-V-M with combipress, Geberit Mepla/FlowFit, Megapress with press rings and Press Booster), press jaws up to 54 mm, press rings and chains above, machine classes 12–35 and 12–108 mm, compatibility per manufacturer statement, maintenance and service intervals, practical rule tool on site.
• Seals and media: which medium with which sealing ring – Task of the sealing element, the five materials EPDM, HNBR, FKM, CIIR and nitrile with temperature range, colour code, media and exclusions, why the sealing element determines the media release, drinking water, gas, high temperature, oil, steam, the media matrix from the data layer, rules for replacement and storage.
• Leak testing and SC-Contur: testing dry, finding forgotten pressings – Dry versus wet leak test, procedure per manufacturer statement (150 mbar, 120 minutes per 100 litres, load test 3 or 1 bar), visual inspection, the property unpressed = leaking at Viega (SC-Contur), Sanha (UVUD) and Geberit FlowFit (press indicator), why threads and unions are checked by hand, test report.
• Zeta values of press connectors: pressure loss per fitting – Definition of the resistance coefficient zeta, pressure-loss formula and equivalent pipe length, measurement basis DVGW W 575, tables per fitting and size for Viega Profipress, Sanpress, Sanpress Inox, Raxofix (mm) and Megapress (inch) as well as Geberit FlowFit and Mepla (15 fittings, d in mm), note on Sanha, practical example chain of reducers.
• Additive manufacturing in piping: what works, what does not – The short answer per component class (flange, elbow, tee, pipe, valve, impeller, special part, repair), separated into technical and normative reasons; guiding principle, three rules of thumb, status of the rules, suitability matrix and enquiry helper.
• Additive manufacturing: processes and materials – What additive manufacturing is, the seven process categories, the five metal processes with strengths and limits, why printed 1.4404 is not forged 1.4404, where the processes have their strength, and plastic 3D printing for site and warehouse.
• Additive manufacturing in metal and steel: component classes of piping – Per component class the technical answer with reason and route: flange, elbow, tee, reducer, pipe, valve body, valve trim, impeller, special fitting, repair; the technical reasons (porosity, anisotropy, residual stresses, surface, build volume, inspectability, cost) and the bridge to build-up welding.
• Additive manufacturing and the rules: product standard, PED, appraisal, ASME – The normative reasons per component class: product standards without an additive product form, Pressure Equipment Directive Annex I No. 4 (harmonised standard, European approval for materials, particular material appraisal), DIN/TS 17026, E DIN EN 13445-14, AD 2000, EN 10204, ASME PTB-13, Code Case 3020, API 20S, DNV-ST-B203, drinking water as an open status; status note with six-monthly review.
• Why standards are replaced – and what stays valid – Four interests (manufacturer, operator, designer, stockholder), the mechanisms coexistence, withdrawal, dimensional continuity and grandfathering, the lessons of ISO 7005 (failed) and EN 1759-1 (succeeded), box: who writes standards.
• How binding standards are: contract, law, rules of engineering – Three routes to being binding, the edition of the contract date, presumption of conformity instead of obligation, what about stock to withdrawn standards, how to read an edition; box: three language versions of an EN.
• Standards worlds by region: EN, ASME, GOST, JIS – who uses what – Three-layer derivation (law, national code, industry practice), 13 documented regional statements as a table with source, France as the example, Brexit, Commonwealth heritage, ISO as the third world, and what we do not know.
• EN and ASME compared: eight axes of the standards worlds – Eight comparison axes as a table with explanatory paragraphs, what “to ASME” means (three things), why EN vessels are lighter, Class versus PN, NPS versus DN, joint efficiency versus testing group, stamp versus CE; inspection intervals as FAQ.
• Mixing standards worlds: fits, appears to fit, does not fit – Ten pairings EN versus ASME (flange, raised face, bolt, pipe, nominal size, thread, material, bevel) with verdict and reason, the thread types of both worlds, the legend of PN 20, the box “two turns of thread do not seal”.
• Materials between the worlds: EN number to UNS and ASTM – Comparison table of the materials we trade (austenitic, carbon steel, duplex, low-temperature, alloy, nickel) with limits of comparison and dual certification, 3.1 versus mill test report, ASTM materials under the Pressure Equipment Directive, NACE MR0175/ISO 15156.
• Suitability matrix additive manufacturing: component against process – Ten component classes (flange to repair) against five metal processes; per cell technical and normative traffic light, reason, recommendation; filter by process and by pressure-retaining.
• Enquiry helper for special parts: which route fits? – Five questions – drawing or sample, material and condition, pressure and temperature, acceptance under PED/AD 2000/ASME, quantity and deadline – and one of four recommendations with a link to the matching page and the enquiry route.
• Standards translator: DN ↔ NPS, PN ↔ Class, threads, materials – Nominal size DN or NPS, pressure rating PN or Class (approximation with warning), thread from designation or measurements, material counterpart EN to ASTM/UNS – from the data tables, with standard and edition.
• Solutions: from the parts list to the construction site – The process from the parts list through clarification, procurement, certificates, processing, project warehouse, picking and packaging to delivery – with the eight solution pages: express and emergency, project supply, C-parts and consignment stock, processing, certificates, packaging and marking, EDI, case studies.
• Express and emergency procurement – The situation (plant down, part missing, old drawing), the process (identify, check stock, choose the shipping route), what makes us fast and what we need from you for it.
• Project supply, shutdown and overhaul – Material from one source, one contact from the parts list to the documentation, interim storage and call-off, picking by construction phase – and the timeline of an overhaul: before, parts list and standards check; during, call-off and express; after, remaining quantities and papers.
• C-parts, call-off orders, consignment stock – The model (framework, call-off, consignment), what it changes for maintenance and purchasing, involving contractors, delivering pipes cleaned and capped – and what we need for it.
• Processing: from cutting to length through to parts made to drawing – The services per type of processing with what we need for them (drawing, parts list, coating specification), the limits and the way to special parts to drawing.
• Certificates and documentation – Certificate types to EN 10204 and what they attest, assignment per item and line, supplier’s declaration and certificate of origin, traceability and marking, project documentation – with reference to the knowledge pages.
• Packaging and marking – Picking to your structure, marking per part, packing lists, transport protection, long-term storage in wooden crates per construction phase, export packaging and unloading – what is possible and what you specify for it.
• Digital procurement: EDI – Which documents run electronically (EDI, SAP Ariba, SSCC, self-billing, e-invoice XRechnung/ZUGFeRD, digital certificates), how the set-up runs and what it brings for call-offs and C-parts.
• Case studies from procurement and project service – Three cases without quotes: C-parts management across several sites, project supply with packing lists and certificates per line for a power plant, flanges to drawing and pipes for a steel and sheet-metal fabricator – and what follows from them for your project.
• Joining without welding: compression fittings, repair clamps, Multigebo – The entry by situation: leaking pipe, extending a line, transitioning to another pipe, connecting to a thread, adding a branch later – per situation the solution family, its limits and the way to the page with service limits and range.
• Compression fittings for steel pipe and boiler tube – Which series for which pipe and medium: malleable iron with NBR or EPDM, boiler-tube version, HTB for gas inside buildings, brass for hot drinking water, compact adapter – types A/AF, I/IF, O/OF, T/TF, service limits, range.
• Compression fittings for plastic pipe and steel–plastic transition – PE 80/PE 100/PE-Xa SDR 11 with malleable-iron compression fittings and support sleeve, PP-R/PP-RCT and PVC-C with polygebo, GF PRIMOFIT for PE, transition steel to PE, wide-range coupling for cast iron, steel, PE, PVC – what fits when.
• Repair clamps, repair bands, tapping clamps – Hole, crack, porous spot: malleable-iron and brass repair clamps, stainless repair bands in ranges 21–1000 mm, repair boxes; later branch: tapping clamps with female-thread outlet and stainless tapping saddles – what may stay permanently and what only short-term.
• Multigebo: joining multilayer pipes of different makes – One fitting for multilayer pipe of unknown origin: modular body, support sleeve and grip ring, gauge in the kit; length adjustment or male thread; service limits drinking water cold 20 °C/10 bar, warm 70 °C/6 bar, heating 70 °C/6 bar; installation in wall and floor.
• FAQ on joining without welding – Twenty questions from maintenance and installation – duration, wall and floor, gas and drinking water, dimension and roundness, tools, reuse, availability – with short answers and the way to the page.
• Weld neck flange ASME B16.5: dimensional drawing and dimensions per Class – Dimensional drawing per NPS and Class, dimension letters to ASME B16.5, tolerances, dimension tables Class 150 to 2500 and what counts when measuring and ordering.
• Tool: which solution fits? – Four inputs – pipe type, outside diameter, problem, medium – and the tool filters the solutions from the data layer: series, manufacturer, limits, lasting or short-term, from stock or to order.
• Which press tool fits which system? – Press tool compatibility after the manufacturer lists of Geberit, Uponor and Viega – choose a system or a tool manufacturer, with application range, restriction and predecessor models; Sanha via the press contour.
• Uponor RS 63–110: multilayer pipe system for large sizes – Modular press and push-fit system for Uponor MLC 63–110: base bodies RS 2 and RS 3, press adapters with stainless-steel press sleeve, threaded and flange adapters, spacer adapters for manifolds and fixed points, media with limits, tools, dimensions, zeta values, availability; S-Press PLUS 14–75 for the smaller sizes.
• System transition: pipe and fitting from different systems – A press system is a tested unit of pipe, fitting, seal and tool. Where manufacturers release third-party pipes (Geberit FlowFit transition to third-party systems, Megapress on steel pipe), how metal and plastic come together, what counts as a mixed installation in fire protection – and what to check before every transition.
• Blind flange ASME B16.5: dimensional drawing and dimensions per Class – Dimensional drawing per NPS and Class, dimension letters to ASME B16.5, tolerances, dimension tables Class 150 to 2500 and what counts when measuring and ordering.
• Slip-on flange ASME B16.5: dimensional drawing and dimensions per Class – Dimensional drawing per NPS and Class, dimension letters to ASME B16.5, clearance to the pipe, tolerances, dimension tables Class 150 to 1500 and what counts when measuring and ordering.
• Threaded flange ASME B16.5: dimensional drawing and dimensions per Class – Dimensional drawing per NPS and Class, NPT thread to ASME B1.20.1 instead of Rp, dimension letters to ASME B16.5, tolerances, dimension tables Class 150 to 2500 and what counts when measuring and ordering.
• Socket weld flange ASME B16.5: dimensional drawing and dimensions per Class – Dimensional drawing per NPS and Class, socket and gap, dimension letters to ASME B16.5, tolerances, dimension tables Class 150 to 1500 and what counts when measuring and ordering.
• Lap joint flange ASME B16.5: dimensional drawing and dimensions per Class – Dimensional drawing per NPS and Class, bore and radius for the stub end, dimension letters to ASME B16.5, tolerances, dimension tables Class 150 to 2500 and what counts when measuring and ordering.
• How to measure pipe flanges, pipes and fittings correctly – Per component the one measuring picture, the core rule and the typical error – bolt circle across two holes, diameter from the circumference, wall thickness at the end face. With formulas, worked examples and the way to the dimensional drawing of your size.
• JIS B 2220: steel pipe flanges to the Japanese standard – Pressure classes 5K, 10K, 16K, 20K, 30K, 40K and 63K, nominal sizes 10A to 1500A, RF and FF facings, material SS400 (market equivalent S235JR) – why a JIS 10K flange does not fit PN 16, and which types and classes Zickwolff supplies.
• Malleable iron fittings: dimensions by number – Every GF number with picture, dimensional sketch, all sizes in mm and availability in black and galvanized.
• Flange joint: parts list – Bolts, nuts, washers and gasket for two flanges EN 1092-1 – with calculated bolt length.
• Weight calculator for parts lists – Pipes, flanges and fittings with quantity – total weight for shipping and transport.
• Pipe bundle calculator – Weight and size of a pipe bundle from standard, size, length and number of pipes.
• Matching parts finder for pipes – Choose pipe D × T – matching fittings and weld neck flanges with the way to the dimension table.
• Standard successor: old DIN and its replacement – Enter an old DIN standard – successor, status, type of replacement and editions.
• Steel pipe ASME B36.10M – dimensions – Choose NPS and schedule: outside diameter, wall thickness, bore and weight per metre in mm and inches.
• Butt-weld fittings ASME B16.9 – dimensions – Choose type and NPS: dimensions in mm and inches, limit deviations, welding ends to B16.25.
• Stainless steel pipe ASME B36.19M – dimensions – Choose NPS and schedule 5S to 80S: outside diameter, wall thickness, bore and weight per metre in mm and inches.
• Large-diameter pipe flanges ASME B16.47 – dimensions – Choose series A or B, class and NPS: connection dimensions in mm and inches.
• Determine the EN 10204 certificate type – Two questions – the matching document 2.1, 2.2, 3.1 or 3.2 with order text.
• Certificate checklist per enquiry – Choose document type and components – confirmation points for the supplier.
• Enquiry reader: read an enquiry line – Recognise component, standard family, size, pressure rating and material – and what is missing.
• Butt-welding fittings at a glance – Elbows, tees, reducers, caps and torispherical heads in steel and stainless steel – every picture leads to the dimension table.
• Elbows ASME B16.9 – dimensions and drawing – Choose elbow and NPS: dimensions in mm and inches, drawing, limit deviations.
• Tees ASME B16.9 – dimensions and drawing – Choose tee and NPS: C and M in mm and inches, drawing, limit deviations.
• Reducers ASME B16.9 – dimensions and drawing – Choose the size pair: H in mm and inches, drawing, limit deviations.
• Caps ASME B16.9 – dimensions and drawing – Choose NPS: length E in mm and inches, drawing, limit deviations.
• Pipe and fitting standards worldwide: EN, ASME, JIS, GOST, GB and ISO at a glance – Pipes and butt-weld fittings per standards world: dimension and delivery-condition standard, predecessors, size (DN, NPS, A, outside diameter), wall thickness (mm, schedule, Sch), fit with EN and the way to our dimension pages.
• Flange standards worldwide: EN, ASME, JIS, GOST, GB, BS, AS and ISO at a glance – Nine standards worlds in one table: standard and predecessors, pressure rating (PN, Class, K, Table), size (DN, NPS, A), facing, fit with EN 1092-1 and the way to our dimension pages.
• Austenitic stainless steels: 1.4301, 1.4307, 1.4401, 1.4404, 1.4571 – Profile of the five austenitic stainless steels of the piping trade: reading the material number, 304 versus 316, L grades after welding, titanium stabilisation, recognising the material on the part (magnet, molybdenum spot test, certificate), where it sits in our range and press systems, ASTM counterparts with the limits of the comparison.
• Carbon and heat-resistant steels: S195T, P235GH, P265GH, P250GH, 16Mo3 – Profile of the non-alloy and heat-resistant steels of the piping trade: reading the steel name (S195T, P265GH, 16Mo3), where each sits in our range (threaded tube EN 10255, tubes EN 10216-2, flanges EN 1092-1, Megapress connectors), black versus galvanized versus coated, ASTM counterparts A105, A106 Gr. B, A234 WPB, A350 LF2 and their limits, recognising the steel on the part.
• Push-fit systems: joining pipes by pushing instead of soldering or pressing – What a push-fit system is and who it suits, how the joint holds (pipe end, seal, pull-out protection, visible insertion depth), comparison with grip-ring push-fit fittings, compression fittings and pressing, the GF iFIT system we stock with five project guides, transitions to existing pipe, supply from stock also individually packed.
• How a push-fit joint works – The five building blocks of every push-fit joint (prepared pipe end, sealing element, pull-out protection, visible insertion depth, leak test), why chamfering and calibrating are the whole trick, and what was learnt from the early failures of push-fit systems.
• What sets iFIT apart from other push-fit fittings? – Four flame-free joining methods compared – push-fit system with adapter (GF iFIT), brass push-fit fitting with built-in grip ring, compression fitting, pressing: tools, preparation, approved pipes, detachability, reusability, visual check and dimensions, with the source of every statement.
• Frequently asked questions about push-fit fittings – Does a push-fit joint hold permanently? Can I undo it again? Does it work with old copper tube? Do I need tools? What happens in frost? May the joint be buried in plaster? – sixteen user questions, each answered briefly with manufacturer reference and a link to the detailed page.
• GF iFIT: the push-fit system for building installation – Design of the system (polybutylene and composite pipe, adapter with grip ring and two O-rings, PPSU modules, modular adapter technique), approval as manufacturer information, the five project guides from water connection to repair, installation, parts, operating limits and supply from stock.
• Installing GF iFIT step by step – Nine installation steps according to the GF practice guide and installation instructions – cutting, chamfering/calibrating in one go (chamfer at least 1 mm), adapter up to the stop (inspection window filled), module until it clicks audibly, pull-back test (up to 5 mm permissible), leak test, detaching and reusing, bending, system purity – with tool list, typical faults and videos.
• GF iFIT: parts and tools – The range of a good 100 items sorted by type – adapters (the adapter sets the dimension), modules from elbow to manifold, transition modules with thread, tap connections, polybutylene and composite pipe, pipe shears and chamfering/calibrating tool – with pictures, GF codes, dimensions and availability.
• GF iFIT: operating limits – Media with limits (drinking water, heating water, cooling – no compressed air, no gas), temperature and pressure as manufacturer information, installation exposed/in plaster/in screed/in conduit, minimum bending radii per pipe, daylight and frost, burst test on video – and the limits beyond which another system is the better choice.
• Connecting an additional tap – with the push-fit system – Branch off the existing pipe with a tee module, run d16 pipe to the new point, end with a tap connection or transition module – the steps, the parts list with tool set, the limits (70 °C / 10 bar, accessible branch point, leak test) and the alternative via a press transition.
• Extending or relocating a pipe – with the push-fit system – Pick up the existing connection with a transition module, bridge the run with d16 or d20 pipe (elbow modules or external bending spring), back to thread or tap at the new location – steps, parts list with tool set, limits (frost at the outdoor tap, daylight) and when pressing or metal pipe is more economical.
• Connecting a radiator – with the push-fit system – Branch off the heating riser with tee modules (flow and return), d16 pipe to the radiator – in conduit where it lies in the screed –, push on the radiator connection elbow single or double; calculate flow and return separately, limits 70 °C / 10 bar in a closed circuit, alternative press or metal system for higher flow temperatures.
• Garden water line – with the push-fit system – Yes, as a cold-water line: transition from the house connection, d20/d25 pipe in conduit or frost-free, at the end a transition module for tap or ball valve – drain before winter or lay deep enough, backflow preventer at the tap, composite pipe not permanently in daylight; for long runs in the ground, PE pressure pipe with compression couplings is the usual solution.
• A leak: replacing a section – with the push-fit system – Identify and measure the existing pipe, cut out the damaged section, transition modules at both ends, rebuild the piece in between with iFIT pipe and modules – detachable for later changes; limits (only with a matching transition per pipe type, never push third-party composite pipe in directly) and the alternative press transition or compression fitting for 18/22 copper.
• Transitions: identify the existing pipe and choose the transition – The refurbishment route – measure the outside diameter with callipers, read colour and embossing, determine the pipe type (copper 15/18/22, steel threaded pipe ½/¾/1 inch, third-party composite or plastic pipe), then choose the transition: copper 15 direct, otherwise via thread; with existing-pipe identifier, transition table and the rule that third-party pipes are never pushed in directly.
• iFIT parts-list tool – Choose a project template, enter run, changes of direction and connection to the existing installation – the tool calculates the parts list by fixed rules (one elbow per change of direction, one tee module per branch, pipe length plus reserve, transition per existing connection, tool set with the first order) with GF code, availability and print view – and sends it as an enquiry.
• Torispherical heads DIN 28011 – dimensions, volume, weight – Choose a size: h1, h2, h3, capacity, surface areas, weight and limit deviations, with drawing and 3D.
• Compare components – EN, DIN and ASME to the same scale – Two or three components side by side: 3D model to the same scale and all dimensions in one table.
• Pressure-temperature ratings: allowable pressure PS to EN 1092-1 – Choose material, pressure rating PN 10 to PN 40 and operating temperature – the allowable pressure PS as a single value with its reference in EN 1092-1 Annex G.
• Rules of thumb from practice – checked – Class 150 is not 150 psi and DN 50 is not 50 mm – common rules of thumb checked against standards and practice.

More English pages are being added – the full knowledge base is available in German (258 pages).

Otto Zickwolff GmbH, Saarbrücken – long-established German piping material wholesaler. All information without guarantee; the current standard texts and manufacturers’ technical documentation always prevail.