A flanged joint is a component of type "Flanged Joint". Besides its details, photos and documents, it keeps a Joint Assembly Record as ASME PCC-1-2022 describes it: the joint's class, size and service, the parts that went into it with their heat numbers, the Bolted Joint Assembly Procedure (BJAP) it was made up to, the assemblers and tools, every tightening pass with its reading, the inspection and the leak test.

The joint moves through six steps: Planned, Assembled, Torqued (Tensioned for a BJAP that uses a bolt tensioner), Inspected, Tested and Completed. Each step opens the fields it needs, and the button that moves the joint on stays greyed out until that step's checks are met. The checks protect the record:

• An assembler must hold a Bolted Joint Assembly qualification that is in date on the assembly date;
• A joint in critical service, or one whose BJAP asks for it, needs a tool from the equipment register with a calibration in date on the assembly date;
• The record keeps each assembler's certificate and each tool's calibration as they were on the day, and the BJAP revision and pattern the joint was made up to;
• A pass reading more than 5% outside its range is shown in red.

Flanged joints, the BJAP library and joint assemblers are available on the Projects ++ and Enterprise plans. To fill in a joint's record you need create access to Components; to break and re-make a joint you need edit access.

Before you start, you need at least one approved BJAP (see the article "Flanged Joints") and a qualified joint assembler (see the article "Joint Assemblers"). To add a flanged joint, see the article "Components".

Step 1 - Open the joint's assembly record

Open "Components" in the project and click the number of a flanged joint, or open it from its drawing's weld map. The Joint Assembly Record is on the joint's details page. A new joint shows "Start the assembly record"; click it to begin.

1. The record shows which assembly this is. A joint that has been broken and re-made is on its second assembly or later;
2. The steps the joint moves through. The current one is highlighted;
3. "Mark Assembled" moves the joint to the next step. The label changes with each step, and the button stays greyed out until the step's checks are met;
4. While the joint is Planned, its set-up can be changed (see Step 2).

Step 2 - Set up the joint

Describe the joint and choose the procedure it is made up to.

1. The pressure class, for example 300;
2. The size, in NPS or DN according to the account's units;
3. The service category from ASME PCC-1 Appendix A: Mild, Intermediate or Critical. A critical joint needs a calibrated tool;
4. The date the joint was assembled. The assemblers' qualifications and the tools' calibrations are checked on this date;
5. The inspector, chosen from the project's inspectors, supervisors and users;
6. The BJAP. Only approved, active BJAPs are offered, each with its revision and title;
7. The number of bolts;
8. The tightening pattern. When more than one of the BJAP's patterns is prepared for this bolt count, choose one; the first is the BJAP's preferred pattern. When only one fits, it is used without asking;
9. The bolt size, from the sizes the BJAP gives a target load for.

Step 3 - Parts and preparation

Record what went into the joint. Each part is chosen from the materials library of the account or the project, with its heat or lot number, so the joint is traceable like the welds around it.

1. Flange 1 and Flange 2, from the pipe fittings that can be a flange;
2. An insert, if any: an orifice plate, a spectacle blind, a spacer or a paddle;
3. The gaskets, bolts or studs, nuts and washers. Click the field and tick each material used; you can tick more than one heat or lot. The chosen heat numbers are shown in the field;
4. The lubricant;
5. The result of the flange face inspection. The faces must be recorded as acceptable before the joint can be marked as assembled;
6. The measured flatness;
7. The alignment, and any notes on the preparation.

Step 4 - Choose the assemblers

Name the people who made up the joint.

1. Click "Assemblers" to open the list of active joint assemblers;
2. Tick each assembler who worked on the joint;
3. Each assembler shows their standing today: "Qualified", "Expires soon", "Expired" or "Not available". An assembler with no qualification in date on the assembly date stops the joint from being marked as assembled.

Step 5 - Choose the tools and save the set-up

Name the tools used to tighten the joint. Tools come from the equipment register (Library → Equipment).

1. Click "Tools" and tick each tool used;
2. Each tool shows whether it has a calibration in date, and until when. A joint in critical service, or whose BJAP requires a calibrated tool, needs at least one tool calibrated on the assembly date;
3. Click "Save set-up". You can save as often as you like while the joint is Planned.

Step 6 - Mark Assembled and record the passes

Click "Mark Assembled" once the set-up is complete. WeldTrace checks the date, the BJAP and its target load for the bolt size, the bolt count, the flange faces, the assemblers' qualifications and, where needed, the tools' calibrations. The joint then lists the tightening passes from its pattern.

1. "Mark Torqued" moves the joint on once every pass that is not optional has a reading;
2. The pattern and its revision, and the BJAP's target load for the bolt size;
3. Each pass shows its share of the target and the target it gives. Type the reading for the pass, and any notes;
4. Click "Save" on the row to record the pass. WeldTrace keeps who recorded it and when;
5. A reading more than 5% outside the pass range is shown in red. It is a warning: the reading is still saved, and the notes can say what was done about it;
6. The bolt order for this joint, numbered clockwise from 12 o'clock;
7. Each pass is drawn on the flange, so the assembler can see which bolts to tighten and in what order.

Step 7 - Mark Torqued and record the inspection

Click "Mark Torqued" when every pass is recorded. For a BJAP that uses a bolt tensioner, the step is called "Tensioned". The passes are now locked, and the inspection opens.

1. The readings are shown as recorded, with who recorded each pass and when. They can no longer be changed;
2. The inspector;
3. The result: Accepted or Rejected;
4. Notes, for example the flange gap measured at four points;
5. Click "Save inspection";
6. "Mark Inspected" moves the joint on once the inspection is recorded as accepted.

Step 8 - Mark Inspected and record the leak test

The leak test can be recorded here, or it comes from a pressure test pack when the joint is tested in one. When a pack that includes the joint is passed, WeldTrace records the pack's test type, medium, pressure and number on the joint and moves it to Tested by itself.

1. The leak test fields open once the joint is Inspected;
2. The type of test;
3. The test medium, for example water or nitrogen;
4. The test pressure;
5. The date of the test;
6. The result: Passed or Failed. A joint that fails its test is broken and re-made (see Step 11);
7. Click "Save leak test";
8. "Mark Tested" moves the joint on once a passed leak test is recorded.

Step 9 - Mark Tested

Once the joint is Tested, all that is left is to complete it.

1. The steps show the joint as Tested;
2. The leak test as recorded, with the pack number when it came from a pressure test pack;
3. Click "Mark Completed" to close the record;
4. "Break and re-make" opens a new assembly of the joint (see Step 11).

Step 10 - The completed record

A completed record is read-only. The component's status follows its joint, so the Components list and the weld map show it as completed too.

1. The class, size and service, and the BJAP with the revision the joint was made up to;
2. The parts, each with its heat number;
3. The assemblers, with the qualification certificate and expiry in force on the assembly date;
4. The tools, with the calibration certificate and expiry in force on the assembly date;
5. The pattern, the target and every pass with its reading, who recorded it and when;
6. The inspection and the leak test;
7. Click "Show history" to see every step taken (see Step 12).

Step 11 - Break and re-make a joint

A joint is broken when it leaks at test, is opened for maintenance, or has to be taken apart for any other reason. Breaking keeps the assembly on record and starts a new one. Click "Break and re-make" on the record.

1. The reason. It must be given;
2. How the joint was taken apart;
3. The problems found, for example seized nuts, galling or gasket damage;
4. The lessons for the next assembly;
5. Click "Break joint" to confirm, or "Cancel" to keep the assembly as it is. The new assembly starts as Planned with the same joint, parts and BJAP. The gasket is cleared, as a new one is always fitted, and the assemblers, tools, readings, inspection and test are recorded afresh.

Step 12 - The joint's history

Click "Show history" on the record. The header of the record shows which assembly is current.

1. The link shows how many earlier assemblies the joint has. Click "Hide history" to close the list;
2. Each step of this assembly, with the date, who took it and any note, for example a leak test passed in a pressure test pack;
3. Each earlier assembly, with when and why it was broken and by whom, the method, the problems found and the lessons, and its BJAP, assembly date, assembler and leak test.

Step 13 - Flanged joints in the Data Book

Open the Data Book of the project and its configuration. The "Flanged Joints List" section follows the Components List and lists each joint by tag, drawing and item, with its class and size, service, bolts and status, its procedure, parts, assembly and leak test.

1. Switch "Flanged Joints List" on to include the section;
2. "Include Tightening Passes and Readings?" adds every pass with its target and reading;
3. "Include Assembly History (break and re-make)?" adds each earlier assembly of a joint that was broken, with the reason, the problems and the lessons;
4. "Include Joint Assemblers List?" adds a list of the assemblers who made up the joints, with their qualifications;
5. "Include Joint Assemblers' Qualification Certificates?" adds the certificate files of those qualifications.

The passes and the assembly history are printed in the Original and Detailed layouts. The Flange Log export on the Components page gives the same records as a CSV file.

Read the next article: "Flanged Joints" for the BJAP library and the tightening patterns.