A three piece ball valve consists of three pieces, two end caps and a body. The end caps are welded, threaded, or flanged to connect to the pipe on either side. A three piece ball valve essentially separates the connection portions of the valve assembly from the body of the valve. These will be more expensive than either of the other two types, but their allowance for removing the valve body and trim from the piping system while leaving the connections in place may prove valuable for many applications.