Forged fittings vs. Buttweld Fittings

Forged fittings are used for piping systems below 2 or 4 inches in diameter (4″ for 2000#/3000# fittings, 2″ for  6000#/9000# fittings), whereas buttweld fittings are used for larger diameter piping.

The two main types of forged fittings are the so-called socket weld fittings (which are connected to pipes by fillet welds) and threaded fittings (the pipe is screwed onto the fitting).

Forged fittings are manufactured from solid blocks of steel, that are machined to obtain the final required shape within the tolerances set by the applicable specifications mentioned above. This is different from buttweld fittings, which are manufactured by cutting, bending and shaping seamless or welded steel pipes.