Ends are machined with a standard bevel, typically 37.5 degrees with a small land, to match the pipe schedule. Butt welds give the strongest, leak-free joint and are the norm for large and high-pressure valves and fittings. Welding a valve in place means protecting its soft seats from heat, and the welds are often radiographed or ultrasonically tested.
Those are butt weld valves, crack them open before the welder starts so nothing locks up in the seats.
Also heard as
- BW
- buttweld
- weld end
Related terms
Socket weld
An end connection where the pipe slides into a recessed socket and is joined by a fillet weld around the outside.
Golden weld
The final tie-in weld between new and existing piping that cannot be included in the hydrotest.
Olet
A forged branch fitting welded onto a run pipe to make an outlet without cutting in a tee.
Elbow
A fitting that changes the direction of a pipe run, usually by 90 or 45 degrees.