A Socket Weld is a pipe attachment detail in which a pipe is inserted into a recessed area of a Valve, fitting or flange. In contrast to buttweld fittings, Socket Weld fittings are mainly used for small pipe diameters (Small Bore Piping); generally for piping whose nominal diameter is NPS 2 or smaller.
To join pipe to Valves and fittings or to other sections of pipe, fillet-type seal welds be used. Socket Welded Joints construction is a good choice wherever the benefits of high leakage integrity and great structural strength are important design considerations.Fatigue resistance is lower than that in butt-welded construction due to the use of fillet welds and abrupt fitting geometry, but it is still better than that of most mechanical joining methods.
