Piping Fabrication and Welding Services.

ASME PIPING CODE B31.3

ASME B31.3 contains requirements for piping typically found in petroleum refineries; chemical, pharmaceutical, textile, paper, semiconductor, and cryogenic plants; and related processing plants and terminals. It covers materials and components, design, fabrication, assembly, erection, examination, inspection, and testing of piping.

This Code applies to piping for all fluids including:

(1) raw, intermediate, and finished chemicals;

(2) petroleum products;

(3) gas, steam, air and water;

(4) fluidized solids;

(5) refrigerants; and

(6) cryogenic fluids.

Also included is piping that interconnects pieces or stages within a packaged equipment assembly.

Pipe Specifications

Design: ASME Section B31.3
Material: ASME Section II Carbon Steel, Stainless Steel, Duplex Stainless
Welding: ASME Section IX, B31.3
Non Destructive Testing: ASME Section V

Piping Services

* Oil Seperators
* Condensate Receivers
* Waste Traps
* Custom Air Receivers
* Oil Filters
* Knock Out Drums
* Membrane Vessels
* Shell and Tube Heat Exchangers for water, oil and gas

Non Destructive Inspection on Pipe Welding.

* Full or Partial Radiography
* Liquid Penetrant Testing
* Magnetic Partical Testing
* Ultrasonic Testing
* Pressure Testing

ASME B31 CODE SECTIONS APPLICABLE TO PIPING DESIGN AND FABRICATION

The ASME B31 Code for Pressure Piping consists of a number of individually published Sections, each an American National Standard, under the direction of ASME Committee B31, Code for Pressure Piping.
Rules for each Section reflect the kinds of piping installations considered during its development, as follows:

• B31.1 Power Piping: piping typically found in electric power generating stations, in industrial and institutional plants, geothermal heating systems, and central and district heating and cooling systems
  
• B31.3 Process Piping: piping typically found in petroleum refineries; chemical, pharmaceutical, textile, paper, semiconductor, and cryogenic plants; and related processing plants and terminals
  
• B31.4 Pipeline Transportation Systems for Liquids and Slurries: piping transporting products that are predominately liquid between plants and terminals and within terminals, pumping, regulating, and metering stations
  
• B31.5 Refrigeration Piping and Heat Transfer Components: piping for refrigerants and secondary coolants
  
• B31.8 Gas Transmission and Distribution Piping Systems: piping transporting products that are predominately gas between sources and terminals, including compressor, regulating, and metering stations; gas gathering pipelines
  
• B31.9 Building Services Piping: piping typically found in industrial, institutional, commercial, and public buildings, and in multi-unit residences, which does not require the range of sizes, pressures, and temperatures covered in B31.1
  
• B31.12 Hydrogen Piping and Pipelines: piping in gaseous and liquid hydrogen service and pipelines in gaseous hydrogen service.
  

      

               

What IS NDE?

Nondestructive evaluation (NDE) is a term that is often used interchangeably with NDT. However, technically, NDE is used to describe measurements that are more quantitative in nature. NDE allows parts and material to be inspected and measured without damaging them. Because it allows inspection without interfering with a product's final use, NDE provides an excellent balance between quality control and cost­ effectiveness. Following are some of the main NDE techniques used during pressure vessel fabrication to check weld quality and integrity.

* Visual Testing (VT)

* Full or Partial Radiography (RT, X-ray)

* Liquid Penetrant Testing (PT)

* Magnetic Partical Testing (MT)

* Ultrasonic Testing (UT)

* Pressure Testing (Hydrostatic or Pneumatic)

WHAT IS WELDING?

 

Welding is a fabrication process that uses high temperatures to melt and fuse parts together. Welding usually also involves the use of something called a filler material, or a consumable. This, as the name suggests, is used to provide a "filler" or pool of molten material that helps facilitate the formation of a strong link between the base metals.
Some of the most common welding processes as:

• MIG Welding - Gas Metal Arc Welding (GMAW)

• TIG Welding - Gas Tungsten Arc Welding (GTAW)

• Stick Welding - Shielded Metal Arc Welding (SMAW)

• Flux Welding - Cored Arc Welding (FCAW)

• Energy Beam Welding (EBW)

• Atomic Hydrogen Welding (AHW)

• Gas Tungsten-Arc Welding

• Plasma Arc Welding

MIG WELDING (GMAW)
MIG welding is one of the easier types of welding for beginners to learn. MIG welding is actually two different types of welding. The first uses bare wire and the second flux core.
Bare wire MIG welding can be used to join thin pieces of metal together. Flux core MIG welding can be used outdoors because it does not require a flow meter or gas supply. MIG welding is usually the welding of choice for DIY enthusiasts and hobby welders who don’t have the money to spend on expensive equipment.

STICK WELDING (SMAW)
Stick welding, also known as Arc welding, is doing it the old-fashioned way. Stick welding is a bit harder to master than MIG welding. Stick welding uses a stick electrode welding rod.

TIG WELDING (GTAW)
TIG welding is extremely versatile, but it is also one of the more difficult welding techniques to learn and are skilled individuals.
Two hands are needed for TIG welding. One hand feeds the rod whilst the other holds a TIG torch. This torch creates the heat and arc, which are used to weld most conventional metals, including aluminum, steel, nickel alloys, copper alloys, cobalt and titanium.

PLASMA ARC WELDING
Plasma arc welding is a precision technique and is commonly used in aerospace applications where metal thickness is 0.015 of an inch. One example of such an application would be on an engine blade or an air seal. Plasma arc welding is very similar in technique to TIG welding, but the electrode is recessed and the ionizing gases inside the arc are used to create heat.

ELECTRON BEAM & LASER WELDING
Electron beam and laser welding are extremely precise, high energy welding techniques.

GAS WELDING
Gas welding is rarely used anymore and has been largely superseded by TIG welding. Gas welding kits require oxygen and acetylene and are very portable. They are still sometimes used to weld bits of car exhaust back together.

                                 

WHAT IS WPS?

 

A Welding Procedure Specification, or WPS, is a document that serves as a guide for the effective creation of a weld that meets all applicable code requirements and production standards. WPS contains details that are necessary to create the desired weld. This includes information such as base metal grade, filler metal classification, amperage range, shielding gas composition, and pre-heat and inter-pass temperatures. The idea is that if a group of welders adhere to all the details on a WPS, they should each be able to produce welds with reasonably similar mechanical properties.

WHAT IS PQR?

The procedures for creating and testing the sample welds, as well as the final results, are documented on a Procedure Qualification Record, or PQR. If the test results are acceptable, the PQR is approved and can then serve as the foundation on which one or more WPSs are drafted. In short, a PQR serves as evidence that a given WPS can, in fact, be used to produce an acceptable weld.

WHAT IS WPQ?

 

Welder Performance Qualification (WPQ) is performed to determine whether the welder or the welding operator can produce a sound weld or not. Each welder or welding operator shall be qualified for each welding process to be used during production (or fabrication) welding.

The welder is required to weld a test coupon in accordance with the qualified welding procedure specification (WPS), the test coupon is then Radiography/ Ultrasonic or Mechanically tested (as per the requirements of the code of construction). After satisfactory test report the welder may be employed for the production welding (or fabrication welding). Following important factors shall always be considered before conducting the welder performance qualification test.

• Welding Procedure Specification (WPS)

• Welding Process such as GTAW, GMAW, SMAW, SAW

• Size of test coupon, pipe or plate, pipe diameter and schedule, plate thickness

• Position of the test coupon flat, horizontal, vertical, overhead (1G, 2G, 3G, 4G, 5G, 6G)

• Filler metal/Electrode bare, solid, flux core