Morgan Industrial and ESCO Tools partner together to give factories and plants the best outage tools on the market in the shortest amount of time. When dealing with outages the right equipment can help pipefitters get the job done faster and for less. Flange facing and beveling tools are fast and easy to use, which makes them ideal for repairing a wide range of damaged flanges without having to shut down an entire assembly line. In addition, these tools give you consistent results every time you work with them, which saves you time and money in the long run by reducing production downtimes and scrap rates due to defectively manufactured parts. Here’s how they do all that, and more!
What are flange and beveling tools?
A flange facing tool is a portable boiler tool used to make a transition between two different sized flanges. The tool is typically made of steel, and the blade features at least one beveled edge, MIT blades from T+C have 2 concaved edge that double the life of the blade. The beveled edge creates a small ledge that sit flush against theopposite surface. This ledge helps to create a smooth transition from one workpiece to another. With a flange facing tool there’s no need for time consuming welding or any other process to get rid of any gaps or overlaps between the sizes. Using the tool correctly can achieve a near perfect match within a tolerable margin of error. The best part about these portable boiler tools is they are easily portable and allow for downtime saving during construction projects or plant maintenance activities.
There are three basic types of flange and facing tools. Each one functions differently but all three rely on similar base principles.
Types of Tools
Side Beveling Tools:
This type has a concave cutting surface which allows the operator to cut both side of the flange simultaneously. It has just one beveled edge on the blade and operates on a longitudinal axis. They are highly desired for the ability to bevel difficult pipe alloys like super duplex and P-91 quickly and efficiently.
Deburring Tool:
This type has 2 blades with beveled edges set perpendicular from each other one in the OD and another in the ID of the workpiece, making it possible for an operator to cut both sides simultaneously. One side is concave and the other is convex the difference is that this type cuts up along an axis when using it. Mostly used in sanitary tubing up to 4".
Straight Flange Face Tool:
This type works like a shear by applying pressure across 2 separate axes which allows for vertical movement, as well as lateral movement in either direction (along X & Y). Flange facers like the ESCO Flange Hog 110 help pipe fitters reface tools quickly, decreasing downtime.
When working with sanitary tubing, having a clean face is incredibly important. Most concave blades are limited in their use as they have a squared face on the back. MIT blades for ESCO and T+C tools are concaved on both sides giving you double the number of cuts on the same bit. Using these Double Concave Bits saves pipefitters and welders tons of time and money but reducing the number of blades spent on a project. Simply flip the blade around, set it in place and use the clean side.
Facing Tools from ESCO Tools
ESCO tools have a portable boiler facing lineup that includes a flange facer, which can help decrease outage times by cutting down on the time it takes to replace worn out parts. The best thing about this line up is that it's made for heavy duty work and can withstand even the harshest of environments. So, if you're in need of some portable boiler tools, we think you should check out some of the incredible tools ESCO has to offer!
Tube Weasel: The boilermaker proven Tube Weasel MILLHOG performs precision bevels for accurate weld fit-up and fits a 2.75" (69.9mm) wide
Mongoose: A torque free beveling machine for tube and pipe from 0.625” (15.9mm) I.D. to 3.0” (76.2 mm) O.D. and is only 2.25” (57.15 mm) wide
Warthog: A portable right angle I.D. clamping pipe and tube beveling machine that features an efficient low maintenance design.
Prepzilla: Quiet and powerful. Prepzilla is highly desired for its ability to bevel difficult pipe alloys like super duplex and P-91 quickly and efficiently.
Flange Facer 110: This easy to operate flange facing tool is perfect for re-facing raised-face and flat-faced flanges on site or in a fabrication/repair shop. The FLANGE HOG 110 has a clamping range from 0.9" / 22.9mm to 10.3" / 261.6mm and can machine flanges with a reach up to 14" / 355.6mm O.D.