×
INTELLIGENT WORK FORUMS
FOR ENGINEERING PROFESSIONALS

Log In

Come Join Us!

Are you an
Engineering professional?
Join Eng-Tips Forums!
  • Talk With Other Members
  • Be Notified Of Responses
    To Your Posts
  • Keyword Search
  • One-Click Access To Your
    Favorite Forums
  • Automated Signatures
    On Your Posts
  • Best Of All, It's Free!
  • Students Click Here

*Eng-Tips's functionality depends on members receiving e-mail. By joining you are opting in to receive e-mail.

Posting Guidelines

Promoting, selling, recruiting, coursework and thesis posting is forbidden.

Students Click Here

Jobs

are API issues codes or standards ?
3

are API issues codes or standards ?

are API issues codes or standards ?

(OP)
hi all, I'm asking about API issues , especially in piping work as API 5D, API 6D, API 598 and so on. are these issues can be considered codes or standards or some issues are codes and other ones are standards ??
thank you in advance

RE: are API issues codes or standards ?

API has standards (STD) and recommended practices (RP), codes are such as ASME B31.

From Piping Handbook (M.L. Nayyar)

Codes usually set forth requirements for design, materials, fabrication, erection, test,
and inspection of piping systems, whereas standards contain design and construction
rules and requirements for individual piping components such as elbows, tees,
returns, flanges, valves, and other in-line items. Compliance to code is generally
mandated by regulations imposed by regulatory and enforcement agencies. At
times, the insurance carrier for the facility leaves hardly any choice for the owner
but to comply with the requirements of a code or codes to ensure safety of the
workers and the general public. Compliance to standards is normally required by
the rules of the applicable code or the purchaser’s specification.
Each code has limits on its jurisdiction, which are precisely defined in the code.
Similarly, the scope of application for each standard is defined in the standard.
Therefore, users must become familiar with limits of application of a code or
standard before invoking their requirements in design and construction documents
of a piping system.

RE: are API issues codes or standards ?

Many stadards and recommended practices have become part of a code or regulation because they have been included by reference. API 1104 Standard for Welding Pipelines and Related Facilities, for example, is included by reference in ASME B31.4, B31.8 and the US code of federal regulations (CFR) Title 49 Parts 192 and 195, so it thereby is both a code and, within the USA, a regulation (legal requirement) as well.

RE: are API issues codes or standards ?

It is really simple, BigInch touched on it, Code is written by the government, standards are written by industry. Before API 521 was upgraded it was an RP, but hundreds of regulations by state, provincial, and federal agencies around the world required its use. Industry has no ability to enforce standards. The government has no ability to write standards. When the government adopts a standard as part of a regulation, then they assume the enforcement role.

David Simpson, PE
MuleShoe Engineering

In questions of science, the authority of a thousand is not worth the humble reasoning of a single individual. Galileo Galilei, Italian Physicist

RE: are API issues codes or standards ?

(OP)
thank you all for honest help

RE: are API issues codes or standards ?

Standards incorporated by reference within the US code of regulations CFR Title 49 Parts 192, 193, and 195
Please note that the standards so incorporated might not be the latest edition.
Incorporated standards must be made freely available to the public. Follow the links.

http://www.phmsa.dot.gov/portal/site/PHMSA/menuite... 00b0f22e4c6962d9c8789/?vgnextoid=d5af714769382310VgnVCM1000001ecb7898RCRD&vgnextchannel=f0b8a535eac17110VgnVCM1000009ed07898RCRD&vgnextfmt=print

RE: are API issues codes or standards ?

Definition from API Policy document, S1, 2013:

"codes
Documents that may be adopted by regulatory agencies or authorities having jurisdiction"

Steve Jones
Corrosion Management Consultant

http://www.linkedin.com/pub/8/83b/b04

All answers are personal opinions only and are in no way connected with any employer.

RE: are API issues codes or standards ?

Is it just me, or is it somewhat humorous that the very first sentence in for example ASME VIII Div. 1 is:

Quote:

This international code or standard was developed under procedures accredited as meeting the criteria for
American National Standards and it is an American National Standard.

So, our beloved "Code" is actually accredited by a "Standards" organization. At the end of the day, what difference does it make?

RE: are API issues codes or standards ?

Means that it is also an ANS(I) standard.

RE: are API issues codes or standards ?

BigInch-

I know what it means... I just find it somewhat humorous. It's a Code, it's a Standard. My point is, who cares? What genuine impact does it have what we call it? We use an ANS(I) approved Code (e.g. a Section VIII or B31) to build our vessels and piping, then use a "ANS(I) approved" standard (e.g. PCC-2) to repair it.

RE: are API issues codes or standards ?

Beats me.

RE: are API issues codes or standards ?

Are these "Code" and "Standard" discussion only in mechanical engineering discipline, or other fields such as electrical have the same terminology?

Nothing is more fairly distributed than common sense: no one thinks he needs more of it than he already has. Rene Descartes

RE: are API issues codes or standards ?

In my mind a code prescribes minimum design requirements, such as does the International Building Code applies to structures and buildings, ACI 318 for the design of concrete structures, or the ASME B31 codes do for design of piping systems. A standard attempts to define a uniform criteria of some kind, such as the USB 3.1 Standard does for USB connectors, or like the ASME B16 series defines dimensional and pressure limits for piping material, or as API 5 series defines criteria to make pipe.

Electrical has the National Electric Code and thousands of manufacturing standards as well.

RE: are API issues codes or standards ?

I agree with this:

It's important to note the difference between a code and a model code such as the International Building Code (IBC). A model code is developed by a standards organization, typically using the voluntary consensus standard process and subject matter experts. The intent of a model code is to have an industry-wide standard that can be adopted and customized by local jurisdictions, thereby saving the jurisdiction the time and expense of developing and maintaining their own code.

According to the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Circular No. A-119, Revised, a standard is "[t]he definition of terms; classification of components; delineation of procedures; specification of dimensions, materials, performance, designs, or operations; measurement of quality and quantity in describing materials, processes, products, systems, services, or practices; test methods and sampling procedures; or descriptions of fit and measurements of size or strength.

A code is a standard that has been enacted into law by a local, regional, or national authority having jurisdiction so that the engineer or contractor is legally obligated to comply with the code. Noncompliance can result in being prosecuted. The code may be an industry, government, or voluntary consensus-based standard. A code can include references to standards, which means the standards are incorporated by reference and therefore are part of the code and legally enforceable.

CONSULTING-SPECIFYING ENGINEER

RE: are API issues codes or standards ?

Well ... yes, that's a good point, but you can also use a code, such as ASME B31.4, to design pipelines in countries that actually do not have any regulations at all regarding pipeline design, so it is not necessarily a legal requirement. Often the use of a code is just by agreement between engineer and client.

RE: are API issues codes or standards ?

The thread is actually specific to API documents, don't forget.

Steve Jones
Corrosion Management Consultant

http://www.linkedin.com/pub/8/83b/b04

All answers are personal opinions only and are in no way connected with any employer.

RE: are API issues codes or standards ?

Fine. Could be all of the above..
API 5L an API standard that is included by reference in ASME B31.4 & 8 and CFR 49 Part 192 and Part 195.

RE: are API issues codes or standards ?

Nice to see it back on topic2thumbsup

Steve Jones
Corrosion Management Consultant

http://www.linkedin.com/pub/8/83b/b04

All answers are personal opinions only and are in no way connected with any employer.

RE: are API issues codes or standards ?

Is an API Recommended Practice a Code or a Standard? As an example, the 2000 edition of API-RP-579? What if a US state jurisdiction makes a regulation (not a legislated law) that requires its use? I keep coming back to "does it matter what we call it?"

RE: are API issues codes or standards ?

The foreword states that it is "written as a standard." The differentiation comes with the API definition given a few posts above, related to regulatory adoption. It doesn't seem like a big deal, but rest assured that lawyers will make it one.

Steve Jones
Corrosion Management Consultant

http://www.linkedin.com/pub/8/83b/b04

All answers are personal opinions only and are in no way connected with any employer.

RE: are API issues codes or standards ?

Rather interesting - this is how B31 started out

American National Standard Code for Pressure Piping.

Red Flag This Post

Please let us know here why this post is inappropriate. Reasons such as off-topic, duplicates, flames, illegal, vulgar, or students posting their homework.

Red Flag Submitted

Thank you for helping keep Eng-Tips Forums free from inappropriate posts.
The Eng-Tips staff will check this out and take appropriate action.

Reply To This Thread

Posting in the Eng-Tips forums is a member-only feature.

Click Here to join Eng-Tips and talk with other members!


Resources