This test is to done at the mill, during production & heat treatment of plates/forgings(base metals) prior to dispatch. Under the present steel making scenario and knowledge base one may not have to ask this for all types of materials. However if the design Code is Sec VIII, DIV-2, and design requirements are very stringent and for critical operations, then vendors have this flexibility to ask for this requirement for overall integrity of the fabricated component . The intention is to evaluate the mechanical properties (tensile & charpy impact especially) conforming to the special/additional heat treatment requirement and meeting the design code/project specifications' requirements..
For example: Say materials is Cr-Mo-V steel PWHT envisaged as the design code is 4 hrs. Fabricator foresees the problems,and anticipates that there would at least one or 2 Full fledged repair cycle even after PWHT. So with additional 2 cycles(8 hrs) of PWHT what should be the mechanical properties? One may ask those information from the mill to be verified prior to delivery.
However it comes with a cost and may delay the delivery.
Requirements are specified in ASME Sec-II,Part-A,,SA-20, Supplementary Clause S3
Thanks.
Pradip Goswami,P.Eng.IWE
Welding & Metallurgical Specialist
Ontario,Canada.
ca.linkedin.com/pub/pradip-goswami/5/985/299
All provided answer are personal opinions or personal judgements only. It's not connected with any employers by any means.