A projecting rim, collar, or rib on an object, used for strengthening, guiding, or attachment to another object.
Origin uncertain, possibly from Old French 'flanchir' meaning to bend or turn aside, or related to 'flank'. The engineering term became standard during the Industrial Revolution as metal fabrication advanced.
Train wheels have flanges that keep them on the rails - without these small projecting rims, locomotives would derail on every curve. In modern engineering, flanged connections are so crucial for pipelines and pressure vessels that there are international standards governing their precise dimensions and bolt patterns.
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