CHAPTER I 300 General Statements
Part 5 Flexibility and Support 319 Piping Flexibility
Piping systems shall have sufficient flexibility to prevent thermal expansion or contraction or movements of piping supports and terminals from causing failure, leakage, and excessive thrusts or movements. Displacement strains such as thermal displacement, restraint flexibility, externally imposed
displacements are defined in this section. Displacement stresses such as elastic behavior, overstrained behavior must also be considered. Key phrase
“Flexibility”.
319.4 Flexibility Analysis
321 Piping Support
The design of support structures are based on acting loads, transmitted into such supports and include weight effects, loads induced by service pressures and temperatures, vibration, wind, earthquake, shock, and displacement strain. Key phrase “Support”.
321.1.1 Objectives
The layout and design of piping and its supporting elements shall be directed toward preventing the following:
1. piping stresses; 2. leakage at joints;
3. excessive thrusts and moments on equipment; 4. excessive stresses in the supporting elements;
5. resonance with imposed or fluid-induced vibrations;
6. excessive interference with thermal expansion and contraction; 7. unintentional disengagement of piping from its supports; 8. excessive piping sag in piping requiring drainage slope; 9. excessive distortion or sag of piping subject to creep under
conditions of thermal cycling;
10. excessive heat flow, exposing supporting elements to temperature extremes.
Support design is based on location, calculations and engineering judgment. The details of pipe supports are outlined in the rest of this section. Key phrase “Pipe supports”.
Part 6 – Systems
(This section has been excluded from the API 570 exam.)
Chapter III Materials 323 General requirements
Chapter III states limitations and required qualifications for materials based on their inherent properties. Key phrase “Materials”.
323.1 Materials and Specifications
Materials must conform to listed specifications. Unlisted materials may be used provided they conform to a published specification and meet the requirements of this code. Note materials of unknown
specification shall not be used for pressure containing piping
components. Reclaimed materials may be used, providing they are properly identified. Most materials have upper and lower
temperature limits, see Table 323.2.2. Key phrase “Material
specifications”.
323.3 Impact Test Methods and Acceptance Criteria
Of special interest is the impact testing methods and acceptance
criteria. The procedure and test specimen requirements are listed, see Figure 323.2.2A Minimum Temperatures Without Impact Testing for Carbon Steel Materials and Table 323.3.1 Impact Testing Requirements for Metals. Test temperatures for all Charpy impact tests shall be observed, see paragraph. 323.4 a or b. Acceptance criteria is shown in Table 323.5 The requirements for lateral expansion, weld impact test and other related tests are listed in this section. Key phrase “Impact
test”.
Chapter IV
Standards for Piping Components
This section gives the dimensions and ratings of piping components. Key
phrase “Dimensions and ratings”.
Chapter V
Fabrication, Assembly, And Erection 328.1 Welding Responsibility
Each employer is responsible for the welding done by the personnel of his organization and shall conduct the tests required to qualify welding procedures, and to qualify and as necessary requalify welders and welding operators. Key phrase “Responsibility”.
328.2 Welding Qualifications
Welders and welding operators must be qualified to ASME Section IX, except as modified by B31.3. The general details are listed in this section. Special attention should be given to sub-paragraph f, this paragraph allows Table A - 1 when matching P-Numbers and S- Numbers. Key phrase “Welding qualifications”.
328.2.2 Procedure Qualification by Others
Each employer is responsible for qualifying any welding procedure that personnel of the organization will use. Subject to the specific approval of the Inspector. The Inspector shall be satisfied that:
1. the proposed WPS has been prepared, qualified, and
executed by a responsible, organization with expertise in the field of welding; and
2. the employer has not made any change in the welding procedure.
Key phrase “Procedure qualification by others”.
328.2.3 Performance Qualification by Others
To avoid duplication of effort, an employer may accept a performance qualification made for another employer, provided the Inspector specifically approves. Acceptance is limited to qualification on piping using the same procedure wherein the essential variables are within the limits in Section IX. Key phrase “Performance qualification by others”.
328.2.4 Qualification Records
The employer shall maintain a self-certified record, available to the Inspector of procedures and welders employed. Key phrase
“Qualification records”.
328.3.1 Welding Materials
Filler metal shall conform to Section IX. Others may be used with the owner’s approval if a procedure qualification test is first successfully made. Key phrase “Filler metals”.
328.4 Preparation for Welding
Internal and external surfaces to be cut or welded shall be clean and free from paint, oil, rust, scale and other material that can be
detrimental to the weld. End preparation is acceptable only if the surface is reasonably smooth and true, and slag is removed. Groove weld details are found in 328.4.2. Alignment shall be aligned within the dimensional limits in the WPS and the engineering design. Key phrase
328.5 Welding Requirements
• Welds shall be made in accordance with a qualified procedure and by qualified welders or welding operators.
• Each welder shall be assigned an identification symbol. The welds shall be marked or appropriate records shall be filed.
• Tack welds shall be made with filler metal equivalent to that used in the root pass. Tack welds shall be made by a qualified welder. Tack welds shall be fused with the root pass, cracked tacks shall be removed, bridge tacks shall be removed.
• Peening is prohibited on the root pass and final pass of a weld. • No welding shall be done if there is impingement on the weld area
of rain, snow, sleet, or excessive wind, or if the weld area is frosted or wet.
Details of fillet and socket welds, seal welds, welded branch connection welds are given in this section. Key phrase “Weld requirements”.
328.6 Weld Repair
A weld defect to be repaired shall be removed to sound metal. Repair welds shall be made using a qualified welding procedure. Key phrase
“Weld repair”.
330 Preheating
Preheating is used to minimize the detrimental effects of high temperature and severe thermal gradients inherent in welding. Minimum recommended preheat temperatures are given in Table 330.1.1. If the ambient temperature is below freezing, the recommendations in Table 330.1.1 become
requirements. The preheat zone shall extend at least 1 inch beyond each edge of the weld. Key phrase “Preheating”.
331 Heat Treatment
Heat treatment is used to avert or relieve the detrimental effects of high temperature and severe temperature gradients inherent in welding, and to relieve residual stresses created by bending and forming. General heat treatment requirements include Table 331.1.1 (thickness and material
grouping ranges) and must be specified in the WPS. The rest of this section deals with the specific requirements for heat treatment. Key phrase “Heat
Chapter VI
Inspection, Examination, and Testing 340 Inspection - General
The term “Inspector” refers to the owner’s Inspector or the Inspector’s delegates. It is the owner’s responsibility, through the owner’s Inspector, to verify that all required examinations and testing have been completed and to inspect the piping to the extent necessary to be satisfied that it conforms to all applicable examination requirements of the Code and the engineering design. The Inspector shall have access to any place where work concerned with the piping installation is being performed. The Inspector shall be designated by the owner and shall be the owner, an employee of the owner, an employee of an engineering or scientific organization, or of a recognized insurance or inspection company acting as the owner’s agent. The Inspector shall have not less than 10 years experience in the design, fabrication, or inspection of
industrial pressure piping. Key phrase “Inspector”.
341 Examination
Examination applies to quality control functions performed by the manufacturer. Inspection does not relieve the manufacturer of the responsibility for:
• providing materials, components, and workmanship • performing all required examinations; and
• preparing suitable records of examinations and tests for the Inspector’s use.
The examiner shall be assured, by examination of certifications, records, and other evidence, that the materials and components are of the specified grades and that they have received required heat treatment, examination, and
testing. The examiner shall provide the Inspector with a certification that all the quality control requirements of the code and the engineering design have been carried out. Key phrase “Examination”.
342 Examination Personnel
Examiners shall have training and experience commensurate with the needs of the specified examinations (ASNT SNT-TC-1A). Certifications by
employers are recognized. Note, for in-process examination, the
examinations shall be performed by personnel other than those performing the production work. Key phrase “Examiners”.
343 Examination Procedures
Any examination shall be performed in accordance with a written procedure that conforms to ASME Section V. Key phrase “Examination procedures”.
344 Types of Examination
• 100% - complete examination
• random - complete examination of a percentage • spot - partial examination
• random spot - a specified partial examination of a percentage
Key phrase “Examination”.
344.2 Visual Examination
Visual examination (VT) is observation of the portion of components, joints, and other piping elements that are or can be exposed to view before, during, or after manufacture, fabrication, assembly, erection, examination, or testing. Visual examination shall be performed in accordance with ASME Section V, Article 9. Key phrase “VT”.
344.3 Magnetic Particle Examination
Magnetic Particle (MT) examination shall be performed in accordance with Section V, Article 7. Key phrase “MT”.
344.4 Liquid Penetrant Examination
Liquid Penetrant (PT) examination shall be performed in accordance with Section V, Article 6. Key phrase “PT”.
344.5 Radiographic Examination
Radiographic (RT) examination shall be performed in accordance with Section V, Article 2.
• 100% - applies only to girth and miter groove welds and to fabricated branch connection welds.
• Random Radiography - Applies only to girth and miter groove welds.
• Spot Radiography - A single exposure radiograph.
Key phrase “RT”.
344.6 Ultrasonic Examination
Ultrasonic (UT) examination shall be performed in accordance with Section V, Article 5. Note: acceptance criteria is listed in paragraph 344.6.2. Key phrase “UT”.
344.7 In-Process Examination
In-process examination includes joint preparation and cleanliness; preheating; preheating; fit-up, joint clearance, and internal alignment; variables specified by the procedure, including filler metal and
position; condition of the root pass, slag removal and weld condition between passes; and appearance of the finished joint. The examination is visual. Key phrase “In-process examination”.
345 Testing
Leak test, including hydrostatic, pneumatic or a combined hydrostatic- pneumatic test. Details of testing are listed in this section. Key phrase “Leak
testing”.
346 Records
It is the responsibility of the piping designer, the manufacturer, the fabricator, and the erector, as applicable, to prepare the records required by B 31.3. Examination procedures and examination personnel qualifications records shall be retained for at least 5 years after the record is generated. Key phrase
“Records”.
Chapter VII
Nonmetallic Piping and Piping Lined With Nonmetals (This section has been excluded from the API 570 exam.)
Chapter VIII
Piping for Category M Fluid Service (This section has been excluded from the API 570 exam.)
Chapter IX