Dish Ends & Dished Heads | Stainless Steel NSSC

At National Stainless Steel Centre (NSSC), we manufacture dish ends, also called dished heads or tank heads, for tanks, pressure vessels and process equipment. Our new FACCIN dishing press and flanging machine form each head in-house at our Kempton Park facility, from a flat disc of plate to a finished head with its knuckle and straight flange.

Because we stock the plate and cut the blanks ourselves, your heads come from one supplier: the material, the cutting, the forming and the edge preparation for welding. We work to your drawing or specification, for a single head or a production run.

Every head is checked against your specification before dispatch, under our ISO 9001 quality system, and we deliver nationwide across South Africa.

New FACCIN Dishing Line
An Italian-built dishing press and flanging machine, installed at our Kempton Park facility.
Plate From Our Own Stock
Heads start from stainless steel plate we hold in stock, so one supplier covers the material.
Blanks Cut In-House
Discs are cut on our own laser, plasma and water jet machines, ready for the dishing press.
Weld-Ready Edges
Edges are bevelled to your weld preparation, so each head is ready to fit to its shell.
Integrated Services Under One Roof
Cutting, forming, bevelling and polishing in one facility, with one supplier for the head.
Nationwide Delivery
Collect from Kempton Park, near OR Tambo International Airport, or we deliver nationwide.

Inside our dish end line

Each head is formed in two stages on our FACCIN line: the dishing press shapes the crown, then the flanging machine forms the knuckle and the straight flange.

Stage 1 · Dishing
The dishing press
The FACCIN dishing press, with a plate in its manipulator.
Stage 2 · Flanging
The flanging machine
A head clamped on the FACCIN flanging machine.
Up close · Flanging
The forming rolls
The head spins past the forming rolls.

Dish end profiles

Four common profiles, each formed from a flat disc on our FACCIN line. Tell us the profile you need, or send your drawing.

Torispherical
F&D · Klöpper
The everyday head for tanks and pressure vessels: a dished crown, a knuckle and a straight flange.
Semi-ellipsoidal
2:1 elliptical
Deeper, at a quarter of the diameter, with a gentler curve for vessels under higher pressure.
Shallow dished
Dished only
A dished crown without a knuckle or flange, for covers, lids and low-pressure vessel ends.
Flat flanged
Flanged only
A flat end with a knuckle and a straight flange, for atmospheric tanks, hoppers and covers.

NSSC's FACCIN dishing press, its manipulator holding a dished plate, with the operator at the control desk. Dish ends: dishing and flanging on our FACCIN line

Our Dish End Capabilities

We form heads to your drawing or specification, from the plate to the finished edge.

Torispherical heads, also called F&D or Klöpper heads
Semi-ellipsoidal (2:1) heads
Shallow dished and flat flanged ends
Dishing on our FACCIN press, with a manipulator to move the plate between strokes
Flanging of the knuckle and straight flange on our FACCIN flanging machine
Blank cutting by laser, plasma and water jet
Edge preparation by bevelling, and finishing by polishing
Stainless steel plate from our stock, including 304, 304L, 316 and 316L

How it works

Send your specification
Email your drawing, or the diameter, thickness, profile and grade, to info@nssc.co.za, or use the form below.
Get your quote
We confirm the profile, grade, edge preparation, quantities and lead time, and send you a quotation.
We form and check
Your heads are cut, dished and flanged in-house, then checked against your specification.
Collect or delivery
Collect from our Kempton Park facility, or we deliver nationwide across South Africa.

Industries We Serve

NSSC dish ends close tanks and vessels across South Africa's process industries.

Petrochemical: Heads for pressure vessels, separators and storage tanks
Chemical: Ends for reactors, process vessels and storage tanks
Food & Beverage: Heads for mixing vessels, storage tanks and brewing equipment
Water & Sanitation: Ends for treatment vessels and storage tanks
Mining: Heads for process tanks and vessels
Pharmaceutical: Heads for process and storage vessels
Agricultural: Ends for storage tanks and processing equipment
Engineering: Heads for fabricators building tanks and vessels to order

Why Choose NSSC?

We stock stainless steel plate and form your dish ends in-house, so the material, the cutting, the forming and the edge preparation pass between fewer hands and fewer suppliers.

Our quality system is accredited to ISO 9001, audited by TÜV Rheinland South Africa, and every head is checked against your specification before it leaves our facility.

Whether you need a single head for a repair or a full set for a new vessel, we plan each order with you and confirm the lead time with your quote.

Custom Projects. Zero Compromise.

We form heads to your drawing or specification, for a single head or a production run. Our process includes:

Reviewing your drawing and specification
Cutting the blank from plate we stock
Dishing the crown on our FACCIN press
Flanging the knuckle and straight flange
Bevelling and finishing the edge as specified

Need the edge prepared for welding? See our bevelling service.

Below is a list of our certificates

ISO 9001:2015 Certified
NSSC operates a Quality Management System accredited by TÜV Rheinland.
View certificate
B-BBEE Level 4
NSSC is a LEVEL 4 B-BBEE Contributor with a 100% Procurement Recognition Level.
View certificate
ASME IX & BS EN ISO 15609-1 Qualified Welding
NSSC has a variety of qualified welding procedures to both ASME IX (2010 ADD 2011) and BS EN ISO 15609-1/2004 standards. All welders are Qualified and Coded, covering multiple grades and ranges of material.

Frequently asked questions

What is a dish end?

A dish end, also called a dished end, dished head or tank head, closes the end of a cylindrical tank or pressure vessel. It is formed from a flat disc of plate into a curved crown, with a knuckle and a short straight flange that is welded to the vessel's shell.

Which dish end profiles can NSSC make?

We form torispherical (F&D or Klöpper), semi-ellipsoidal (2:1), shallow dished and flat flanged heads. Send your drawing or specification and we will confirm the profile, diameter and thickness for your heads.

How does NSSC make dish ends?

We cut a disc from plate, then form it in two stages on our FACCIN line: the dishing press presses the crown, stroke by stroke, while a manipulator moves the plate, and the flanging machine forms the knuckle and the straight flange.

Which materials can NSSC use for dish ends?

We form dish ends from the stainless steel plate we stock, including 304, 304L, 316 and 316L, and can source other grades for your project. Tell us the grade your vessel needs when you request a quote.

Can NSSC prepare the edge for welding?

Yes. We bevel the edge of each head to your weld preparation on our bevelling machines, so it is ready to fit to its shell. Polishing and other finishes are available too.

What should I send for a dish end quote?

Send the diameter (inside or outside), thickness, profile or crown and knuckle radii, straight flange length, grade, quantity and edge preparation, with any code your vessel is built to. Email info@nssc.co.za or use the form on this page.