Dear All

What are the core responsibilies of ASME Inspector(AI) before fabrication, during fabrication and after fabrication.

Waiting for conclusive reply.

ikram

What are the core responsibilies of ASME Inspector(AI) before fabrication, during fabrication and after fabrication.

ikram

See UG-90, 91, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97 of ASME Section VIII-1.


leem817

The term, verify, has been used for the responsibilities of AI as per UG-90 of ASME section VIII Div (1). Now there may be several meanings of said term, like AI may review, AI may Accept, AI may witness, AI may approve or AI may hold etc etc. So what is the exact code interpretation for genaral term used for the responsibilities of AI.

Please advice

Best Regards

Ikram

Just sharing my experience, objective is not to hurt anyone,

My experience with AI- an authority with no responsibility since all the responsibility lies with manufacturer.

Even as per code (sections referred in previous posts) inspector is required to verify whether the required documents are available but what is inside the document is manufacturers responsibility.

Most of the time I have seen AI only witnessing hydro and verifying that required documents are available (without checking what is there inside) before hydro (as per code nothing much is expected also).

PS- Exceptions are always there, have seen some AI really taking pain to check the code compliance.

Ikram,
contrary to Sanjeev's observation, the AI's responsibility is there and is more than nothing.

VERIFY means, the AI shall assure that the vessel manufacturer has met his responsibility.
The AI never APPROVES any docuements, he usually REVIEWS with acceptable result. The depth of review is depending on the experience with the manufacturer and the degree of trust in the quality of the work.

Example: When the AI visits the Manufacturer once a week for three years, has prepared them for the Joint Review and attended the same as AI, and the type of vessels is always the same, the AI will know that the WPSs are qualified, he will know the welders and their qualification. In this example, there is no need to review the WPS again, if nothing has changed.
Another example, the AI will not evaluate the RT films, he will assure that the required films were made, meet Code and have been evaluated by the Level II and Manufactrers representative.

DK

This is my latest experience while reviewing some of the vendor documents. Equipment are identical and continuously manufactured by this supplier for many years. Possibly drawings and drawings were updated last time by them when they received latest edition of the code.

Design calculation submitted by them consider Joint Efficiency as 1 (full radiography) where as name plate marking indicates RT3 (spot radiography).

These are code stamped equipment and documents must have been reviewed by AI. Do not know how many such equipment have already been supplied and in operation. As such if you check the calculation, thickness need not be changed even if you consider sopt radiograhy in line with name plate marking but its a discrepancy.

As per code, it is the responsibilty of manufacturer to ensure all such requirement. Even otherwise if manufacturer takes up any project it is their responsibilty as per the contract also.

For the installation where code stamping is not mandatory, if we still ask for code stamping, we expect a good vendor and therefore good quality product. Additionally we know that AI is there in case of any unintentional mistakes (we all are human being and may make mistakes) but if we do not get it, its a waste of money since in general I need to pay higher price for code stamped vessel. I have even seen few fabrication shops having authorization for code staping but not having even basic knowledge of ASME. Don't know whom to blame, probably myself only for relying on a thrid party audit and certification.

Any way, just sharing my experience.

Regards

Sanjeev,

Thanks for sharing your experience. Now let me give you my point of view as an Inspector and Supervisor of some AI.

First, the AI is only a human being, and he will not be able to check every aspect of the construction. To a certain extend he must rely on the manufacturer and his QC System. Also the AI does not know everything. I am learning something new in the Code every day. And there are good Inspectors, there are excellent Inspectors and there are hyper-inspectors. In my team there are no bad inspectors, indeed but there is a difference between the first and the last.

Second, the Manufacturer with the Certificate is like the student who passed the driving license. Real learing begins on the road. And like on the streets, some drivers never learn the rules, right. But most drive quite well, after a while.

A Code Stamp is like a promise given by the manufacturer, and the AI has given a promise as well. According to my experience, in most cases these promises are kept.
Not in all cases. In many cases we see compaints filed not against the Code, but against specified, or unspecified requirements. And like there are accidents on the road, there are mistakes is vessels as well.

But in the cases of ASME Vessel without stamp, "you never get what you expect, you only get what you inspect" is the motto.

DK

Any authorized inspector who only perform witness of a hydro and/or review of radiographs is negligent in his duties and responsibilities; as well as doing a diservice to that certificate holder and the public at large.

To quote another portion of ASME Section VIII - Division 1...

U-2(e) It is the duty of the Inspector to make all of the inspections specified by the rules of this Division, and of monitoring the quality control and the examinations made by the Manufacturer. He shall make such other inspections as in his judgment are necessary to permit him to certify [\u]that the vessel has been designed and constructed in accordance with the requirements. The Inspector has the [u]duty of verifying that the applicable calculations have been made and are on file at Manufacturer’s plant at the time the Data Report is signed. Any questions concerning the calculations raised by the Inspector must be resolved.
UG-90(c)(2)(a) ~ (n)... Some, but not all, of the required inspections and verifications...
UG90(b) Inspector has the duty to monitor the Manufacturer’s Quality Control
System as required in Appendix 10.
UG-93 Inspector shall examine the Material Test Report or certificate of compliance and shall determine that it represents the material and meets the requirements of the material specification.

There are a number of requirements that the AI must conform with and if he does not perform can cause the Manufacturer to lose their ASME certification, as well as his National Board certificate.