MSS SP-6-2021

Standard Finishes for

Contact Faces of Pipe Flanges
and Connecting-End Flanges
of Valves and Fittings

Standard Practice
Developed and Approved by the
Manufacturers Standardization Society of the
Valve and Fittings Industry, Inc.
127 Park Street, NE
Vienna, Virginia 22180-4602
www.msshq.org
Phone: (703) 281-6613
Fax: (703) 281-6671
E-mail: standards@msshq.org
MSS STANDARD PRACTICE SP-6
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This MSS Standard Practice was developed under the consensus of the MSS Technical Committee 102, Iron Flanges &
Flanged Fittings (primary), Technical Committee 110, Steel Flanges & Flanged Fittings, Technical Committee 201, Non­
Ferrous Fittings and Flanges, and the MSS Coordinating Committee. The content of this Standard Practice is the resulting
efforts of knowledgeable and experienced industry volunteers to provide an effective, clear, and non-exclusive standard that
will benefit the industry as a whole. This MSS Standard Practice describes minimal requirements and is intended as a basis
for common practice by the manufacturer, the user, and the industry at large. It is the responsibility of the user of this
Standard Practice to establish appropriate safety and health practices and determine the applicability of regulatory
requirements prior to use. The existence of an MSS Standard Practice does not in itself preclude the manufacture, sale, or
use of products not conforming to the Standard Practice. Mandatory conformance to this Standard Practice is established
only by reference in other documents such as a code, specification, sales contract, or public law, as applicable. MSS has no
power, nor does it undertake, to enforce or certify compliance with this document. Any certification or other statement of
compliance with the requirements of this Standard Practice shall not be attributable to MSS and is solely the responsibility
of the certifier or maker of the statement.

"Unless indicated otherwise within this MSS Standard Practice, other standards documents referenced
to herein are identified by the date of issue that was applicable to this Standard Practice at the date of
approval of this MSS Standard Practice (see Annex A). This Standard Practice shall remain silent on
the validity of those other standards of prior or subsequent dates of issue even though applicable
provisions may not have changed. "

By publication of this Standard Practice, no position is taken with respect to the validity of any potential claim(s) or
of any patent rights in connection therewith. MSS shall not be held responsible for identifying any patent rights.
Users are expressly advised that determination of patent rights and the risk of infringement of such rights are entirely
their responsibility.

For all MSS Standard Practices, the term "shall" means "must" and "shall not" means "must not".

In this Standard Practice, all text, notes, annexes, tables, figures, and references are construed to be "normative"
and essential to understand the standard's message. All appendices and footnotes, or any other information
denoted as "supplemental", that may be included within this Standard Practice, DO NOT involve mandatory or
normative requirements.

The U.S. customary units and SI (metric) units included within this Standard Practice are regarded separately
as the standard; each should be used independently of the other and may not be technically equivalent.
Combining or converting values or tolerances between the two systems may result in non-conformance with
this Standard Practice.

Substantive changes in this 2021 edition are "flagged" by parallel bars as shown on the
margins of this paragraph. The specific detail of the change may be determined by comparing
the material flagged with that in the previous edition.

Non-tolerance dimensions in this Standard Practice are nominal unless otherwise specified.

Excerpts of this Standard Practice may be quoted with written permission. Credit lines should read 'Extracted
from MSS SP-6-2021 with permission of the publisher, Manufacturers Standardization Society of the Valve
and Fittings Industry'. Reproduction and/or electronic transmission or dissemination is prohibited under
copyright convention unless written permission is granted by the Manufacturers Standardization Society of
the Valve and Fittings Industry Inc. All rights reserved.

Originally Approved: December 1929

Originally Published: January 1930
Current Edition Approved: August 2021
Current Edition Published: September 2021

MSS is a registered trademark of the Manufacturers Standardization Society of the Valve and Fittings Industry, Inc.

Copyright©, 2021 by
Manufacturers Standardization Society
of the
Valve and Fittings Industry, Inc.

Printed in U.S.A.
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PREFACE
Technical Committee Membership

The MSS Technical Committee 102, Iron Flanges & Flanged Fittings, has primary responsibility for this
Standard Practice and included the following members at the time of approval:

Paul Gifford, Chair

Dan Burczynski, Vice-Chair

Kevin Bartell, Conbraco Industries, Inc. Allan Nelson, Waterous Company

Patrick Berken, American Valve and Hydrant Manufacturing Company Tim O'Shea, Val-Mafic Valve and Manufacturing Corp.
Dan Burczynski, Kennedy Valve Derek Oldsen, Nibco, Inc.
Kim Burton, Burton Consulting Willard Painter, The Wm Powell Company
Matthew Coffey, Ward Manufacturing, LLC Doug Peirce, Clow Valve Company
Jerry D'Avanzo, Fluoroseal, Inc. Rick Purpura, Weldbend Corporation
Stephen Dalton, Val-Matic Valve and Manufacturing Corp. Mathew Reverman, The Wm Powell Company
Stephen De Boer, Mueller Co. LLC Chris Robbins, Waterous Company
Rob Enneking, Fluoroseal, Inc. Stephen Scott, Anvil International, Inc.
Sawsan Fashny, Fluoroseal, Inc. Derek Scott, American Flow Control
Leo Fleury, Mueller Co. LLC David Swartzentruber, J & S Valve, Inc.
Paul Gifford, Mueller Co. LLC Kevin Swicegood, Flowserve Corp.
G. Goodson, Conbraco Industries, Inc. Epitacio Torres Garcia, Weldbend Corporation
Andrew Granzow, Nibco, Inc. Tom Waldmann, Kitz Corporation of America
Chad Harbour, Mueller Co. LLC Keith Walker, Flowserve Corp.
John Helf, American Flow Control John Wilber, American A VK Company
Kirk Johnson, M & H Valve Company David Woollums, U.S. Pipe
Roland L. Larkin, J & S Valve, Inc. Doug Zimmerer, Val-Mafic Valve and Manufacturing Corp.
Frank Morrell, American Valve and Hydrant Manufacturing Company

The MSS Technical Committee 201, Non-Ferrous Fittings & Flanges, has secondary responsibility for this
Standard Practice and included the following members at the time of approval:

Brian Fabian, Chair

Andrew Granzow, Vice-Chair

Kevin Bartell, Conbraco Industries, Inc. Andrew Granzow, Nibco, Inc.

Rod Bayard, Bestweld, Inc. Chad Harbour, Mueller Co. LLC
Kim Burton, Burton Consulting Tim Harrigan, Bonney Forge Corporation
Jorge Corripio, Emerson Automation Solutions Final Control US LP Paul Heald, Bonney Forge Corporation
Robert M. Diienno, Bestweld, Inc. Howard Houston, Westbrook Manufacturing
Brian Fabian, Pennsylvania Machine Works, Inc. Bryce Hughbanks, Viega LLC
Jean-Paul "JP" Fay, Viega LLC Jeff Matson, Viega LLC
Leo Fleury, Mueller Co. LLC Tim Narel, Milwaukee Valve Company
Paul Gifford, Mueller Co. LLC Robert (Bob) Nichols, Elkhart Products Corp.
G. Goodson, Conbraco Industries, Inc. David Woollums, U.S. Pipe

(continued on next page)

11
MSS STANDARD PRACTICE SP-6
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PREFACE
Technical Committee Membership
(continued)

The MSS Technical Committee 110, Steel Flanges & Flanged Fittings, has secondary responsibility for this
Standard Practice and included the following members at the time of approval:

Carlos E. Davila, Chair

Troy Gorrell, Vice-Chair

Annemarie Appleton, Alloy Stainless Products Company, Inc. Joe Krance, Swagelok Company
David Ashwill, Mogas Industries, Inc. Rob Meloy, Emerson Automation Solutions Final Control US LP
Tommy Baldwyn, Wey Valve, Inc. Travis Miles, Wey Valve, Inc.
Kevin Bartell, Conbraco Industries, Inc. John Montgomery, Hackney Ladish Inc.
Rod Bayard, Bestweld, Inc. Ian Murphy, Weir Minerals
Brandon Bell, Emerson Automation Solutions Final Control US LP Vahe Najarian, Velan, Inc.
Eric Berger, Gulf Manufacturing, LLC Tim O'Shea, Val-Mafic Valve and Manufacturing Corp.
Wayne Biery, Victaulic Company of America Willard Painter, The Wm Powell Company
Kim Burton, Burton Consulting Doug Peirce, Claw Valve Company
Ron R. Collins, JCM Industries, Inc. Gil Perez, Velan, Inc.
Zach Cresap, Wey Valve, Inc. Rick Purpura, Weldbend Corporation
Stephen Dalton, Val-Mafic Valve and Manufacturing Corp. Kenneth E. Reid II, Parker Hannifin Corporation
Carlos E. Davila, PE, Crane Chempharma & Energy Mathew Reverman, The Wm Powell Company
Robert M. Diienno, Bestweld, Inc. Bradd Ripley, Victaulic Company of America
J. Gabriel Dominguez, Welding Outlets, Inc. (WOI) Matthew Robbins, Flowserve Corp.
Kathy Durand, Canadoil Forge, Ltd Chris Robbins, Waterous Company
Rob Enneking, Fluoroseal, Inc. Dion Ruzicka, Galperti, Inc.
Brian Fabian, Pennsylvania Machine Works, Inc. R. A. (Bob) Schmidt, CFC Canadoil, Inc.
Leo Fleury, Mueller Co. LLC David Swartzentruber, J & S Valve, Inc.
Frank Frazzano, Alloy Stainless Products Company, Inc. Kevin Swicegood, Flowserve Corp.
Paul Gifford, Mueller Co. LLC Dave Taylor, Custom Alloy Corporation
G. Goodson, Conbraco Industries, Inc. Epitacio Torres Garcia, Weldbend Corporation
Troy Gorrell, Allied Group James Tubb, JCM Industries, Inc.
Jerry Grant, Dezurik, Inc. Javier Vergara, Beric Valves
Heath Gunderman, A. W. Chesterton Matt Wells, Beric Valves
Chad Harbour, Mueller Co. LLC David Woollums, U.S. Pipe
Tim Harrigan, Bonney Forge Corporation Doug Zimmerer, Val-Matic Valve and Manufacturing Corp.
Howard Houston, Westbrook Manufacturing

lll
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TABLE OF CONTENTS

SECTION

1 SCOPE ................................................... ................................ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .......... ............................ 1

I 2 DEFINITIONS . . . . . . . . . . ................ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ......................... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ........................... 1
3 REQUIREMENTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .................................................. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ........................... 1
4 LIMITATIONS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ................................. ........... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ........................... 1

TABLE

Standard Finishes for Contact Faces of Pipe Flanges and Connecting-End Flanges of Valves
and Fittings ......................... .................... ..... .......................... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ........................... 3

FIGURE

Types of Contact Faces for Flanges ............... . . . . . . . . . . .............. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . ........................... 2

ANNEX

I A Referenced Standards and Applicable Dates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ........................... 4 I

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STANDARD FINISHES FOR CONTACT FACES OF PIPE FLANGES AND

CONNECTING-END FLANGES OF VALVES AND FITTINGS

1. SCOPE

1.1 This Standard Practice pertains to the finish of gasket contact faces of pipe flanges and connecting­
end flanges of valves and fittings.

1.2 This Standard Practice is intended for applications to products for which ASME 816 Standards do
not contain complete facing finish requirements or for which there are no such standards.

2. DE FINITIONS

2.1 Flange Facing Finish The surface finish on the flange contact face (see Figure 1) that comes in
contact with a gasket upon flange assembly.

2.2 Roughness Average

or micrometers (f!m).
The term "Ra" (Roughness average) is expressed in microinches (f!in.)

12.3
I
For common industry terms and definitions that may appear in this Standard Practice, refer to
MSS SP-96.

3. REQUIREMENTS

3.1 The flange facing finish shall be evaluated by visual comparison with "Ra" standards (see
ASME B46.1) and not by instruments having stylus tracers and electronic amplification. The finishes
required are given in Table 1.

Other finishes may be furnished by agreement between purchaser and manufacturer.

3.2 Dimensions shown in Table 1 shall not be cause for rejection by depth gage measurement or precision
instrument measurements.

4. LIMITATIONS

4.1 Surface finishes listed in Table 1 are not necessarily optimal for all gasket material types.

4.2 On flat faces, serrations need not extend beyond corresponding raised face diameter.

4.3 Flat face and raised face flanges may be provided with a protective coating in certain industries. If
provided with such coating, the surface finish requirements only pertain to the machined surface under
the protective coating.
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Ring Joint Flat Fa e

0.06 1/16) in. Rai ed Fa e

2.0 mm Rai ed Fa e

'mall ale and F male Larg Mal and F male

Small Tongu and Groo arge onbJUe and Gr e

FIGURE 1
Types of Contact Faces for Flanges
INFORMATIONAL NOTE: The 7.0 mm and 2.0 mm Raised Face Types above utilize the same contact face as the 0.25 in. and 0.06 in. Raised Face Types,
respectively, but are not the result of exact conversion. These "tnm" Raised Face Types are aligned with MSS SP-44, ASME B 16.5, and ASME B 16.47.

2
 ...

�
I TABLE 1 Standard Finishes for Contact Faces of Pipe Flanges and Connecting-End Flanges of Valves and Fittings I 00
00

Contact Face Materials

Types of
Contact Faces
Steel Ductile Iron Gray Iron Bronze

Serrated (a): Non-serrated Cbl: Non-serrated Cbl: Non-serratedCbl:

spiral or concentric, 250 !lin. (6.3 !!ill) Ra max., 250 !lin. (6.3 !!m) Ra max., 125 !lin. (3.2 !!ill) Ra max.,
45 to 55 per in. (18 to 21 per em) or or or
o Flat Face recommended Serrated (a): Serrated (a): Serrated (a):
o 0.06 (1/16) in. Raised Face I spiral or concentric, spiral, spiral or concentric, 00
The resultant smface finish shall have II to 50 per in. (5 to 19 per em) 11 to 50 per in. (5 to 19 per em) 30 to 80 per in. (12 to 31 per em)
1-3
2.0 mm Raised Face
o
>
o 0.25 (1/4) in. Raised Face I a 125 to 250 !lin. (3.2 to 6.3 !!ill) Ra. or concentric, z
o 7.0 mm Raised Face 8 or more per in. (4 or more per em) l;:j
o Large Male and Female
>
Approx. Depth: Approx. Depth: Approx. Depth: �
w 0.003 to 0.020 in. 0.003 to 0.020 in. 0.003 to 0.020 in.
l;:j
(0.08 to 0.51 mm) (0.08 to 0.51 mm) (0.08 to 0.51 mm) "'CC
�
>
Serrated (a): �
o Small Male and Female (as above) 1-3
.....
Large Tongue and Groove or Same as above - -
o
�
o Small Tongue and Groove Non-serrated: t'!'j
125 !lin. (3.2 !!ill) Ra max.

o Ring Joint- Side Walls Non-serrated: Non-serrated:

- -
of Groove 63 !lin. (1.6 !!m) Ra max. 63 !lin. (1.6 !!m) Ra max.

NOTES:
(a) Unless otherwise specified, the manufacturer may supply either spiral or concentric grooves for serrations. The spiral machining operation is commonly accomplished
with the cutting tool having a 0.06 in. (1.5 mm) or larger tip radius.
For serrations, this Standard Practice utilizes centimeters (em) for the Sl (metric) units and not millimeters (mm) due to ease of measurement and ability to more
effectively verity without magnification equipment.
00
(b) Unless otherwise specified, the manufacturer may supply either the serrated (commonly accomplished with the cutting tool having a 0. 06 in. (1. 5 mm) or larger tip radius), "'CC
I
or a smooth finish.
0\
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I ANNEXA I
Referenced Standards and Applicable D ates

This Annex is an integral part of this Standard Practice and is placed after the main text for convenience.

Standard Name: Description:

ASME

B46.1-2019 Surface Texture (Surface Roughness, Waviness, and Lay)

MSS

SP-96-2017 Terminology for Valves, Fittings, and Their Related Components

The following organizations appear in the above list:

ASME American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME International)

Two Park Avenue
New York, NY 10016-5990

MSS Manufacturer's Standardization Society of the Valve and Fittings Industry, Inc.
127 Park Street, NE
Vienna, VA 22180-4602

4
 Purchase or View a Full Listing ofMSS Standards at:
http://msshq.org/Store/PriceList.cfm

MSS Standard Practices (SPs) related to or referenced in this publication:

ANSI/MSS SP-25 Standard Marking System for Valves, Fittings, Flanges, and Unions
ANSI/MSS SP-96 Terminology for Valves, Fittings, and Their Related Components

American National Standards Published by MSS, an ANSI-accredited Standards Developer:

ANSIIMSS SP-25 Standard Marking System for Valves, Fittings, Flanges, and Unions

ANSIIMSS SP-44 Steel Pipeline Flanges

ANSIIMSS SP-55 Quality Standard for Steel Castings for Valves, Flanges, Fittings, and Other Piping Components

-Visual Method for Evaluation of Surface Irregularities

ANSI/MSS SP-58 Pipe Hangers and Supports- Materials, Design, Manufacture, Selection, Application, and
Installation

ANSIIMSS SP-96 Terminology for Valves, Fittings, and Their Related Components

ANSIIMSS SP-114 Corrosion Resistant Pipe Fittings Threaded and Socket Welding Class 150 and 1000

ANSIIMSS SP-122 Plastic Industrial Ball Valves

ANSI/MSS SP-134 Valves for Cryogenic Service, including Requirements for Body/Bonnet Extensions

ANSIIMSS SP-135 High Pressure Knife Gate Valves

ANSIIMSS SP-138 Quality Standard Practice for Oxygen Cleaning of Valves and Fittings

ANSIIMSS SP-144 Pressure Seal Bonnet Valves

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AboutMSS
The Manufacturers Standardization Society (MSS) of the Valve and Fittings Industry is a non-profit technical association organized
for development and improvement of industry, national and international codes and standards for Valves, Valve Actuators, Valve
Modifications, Pipe or Tube Fittings, Flanges, Pipe or Tube Hangers and Supports, Springs, Fasteners, Spring Washers, and
Associated Seals. Since its establishment in 1924, MSS has been dedicated to developing standards for national and global
applications, in cooperation with other standardizing bodies and regulatory authorities.
MSS is an American National Standards Institute (ANSI)-accredited standards developer.

For more information on membership and eligibility requirements, visit: http://msshq.org/Store/Membership.cfm

Manufacturers Standardization Society of the Valve and Fittings Industry, Inc.

127 Park Street, NE, Vienna, VA 22180-4620 • Phone (703) 281-6613 • Fax (703) 281-6671

"The Technical Voice if the Industry"

MSS SP-6-2021