Inspection and NDT For Process Piping
Inspection and NDT For Process Piping
(OP)
Good Afternoon,
I'm new to the forum and industry so if I miss something please forgive me. This topic didn't seem to be discussed in any of my previous findings.
I'm looking into what inspection practices are done in the process piping industry on welded joints. I’m familiar with ASME B31.3 specifying that minimum 5% of welds will be radiographed for each welder. We’ve had customers request higher inspection criteria, which is usually just based on bad experiences when low quality was an issue.
1) I wanted to find out what quantity of inspection the industry is practicing?
2)Also if certain processes or materials required a certain type of inspection procedure other than what’s stated in the code? If there was a rule of thumb? This didn’t seem to be mentioned in the code either; and as a welder prior to my degree, I have not encountered this topic.
Thank you
I'm new to the forum and industry so if I miss something please forgive me. This topic didn't seem to be discussed in any of my previous findings.
I'm looking into what inspection practices are done in the process piping industry on welded joints. I’m familiar with ASME B31.3 specifying that minimum 5% of welds will be radiographed for each welder. We’ve had customers request higher inspection criteria, which is usually just based on bad experiences when low quality was an issue.
1) I wanted to find out what quantity of inspection the industry is practicing?
2)Also if certain processes or materials required a certain type of inspection procedure other than what’s stated in the code? If there was a rule of thumb? This didn’t seem to be mentioned in the code either; and as a welder prior to my degree, I have not encountered this topic.
Thank you





RE: Inspection and NDT For Process Piping
RE: Inspection and NDT For Process Piping
There's no requirement pertaining to certain materials (except for a specific Fluid services, like Elevated Fluid service) however, certain materials are typically used for specific services, e.g. sour service, corrosieve services, or high temperature services. Client requirements often address these services to code Fluid services, and from there, specify higher NDT percentages, sometimes even in extent of the code. They do this caus in the end, for B31.3, the owner has final responsibility for the piping design.
Industry practice as I know from my humble experience, is 5% RT for circ joints, 5% PT/MT for joints that cant be volumetrically evaluated (typically branch and fillet welds). This percentage is then often specifed per welder, per lot. The definition of lot is always important in this context. Make sure you have agreement on this with your customer/end user/owner.
RE: Inspection and NDT For Process Piping
you must get smarter than the software you're using.