Ethan Bale This article discusses a proposal for a change under NB-2420 of Section III NB of ASME BPVC. A. Introduction The line 9 of last paragraph of NB-2420 of BPVC Section III NB says that use of controlled chemical composition is only permitted for carbon steel and low alloy steel consumables. This rule poses significant difficulty … Read more
ASME BPVC is a magisterial body of work. Remarkably consistent over several decades, it commands respect across the world for being concise, reliable, authentic, precise, etc. Many adjectives may be deployed to describe it. It is not however perfect. It has constantly evolved over the years, a new edition of all sections comes out every … Read more
A new edition of ASME Section IX is published every two years. The most recent one was published in July 2023, and becomes effective from January 1, 2024. This article discusses the main changes that have been introduced in the 2023 edition of ASME Section IX. Changes in Article I: General Requirements The following are … Read more
Consider the following questions asked in the interpretation IX-16-48. ‘Background: Company A qualified a WPS to join an unlisted base metal (similar to P-Number 5A Group 1) to itself in accordance with QW-283 by buttering both groove faces using a filler metal that does not conform to an AWS classification, but is identified on the … Read more
Consider the following questions asked in the interpretation IX-16-3. “Background: Company A qualified a WPS joining a P-Number 5A material to itself in accordance with QW-283 by buttering both groove faces using a filler metal that does not conform to an AWS classification but is identified on the PQR by trade name. The buttered ends … Read more
Buttering is a concept that is widely used in welding field. Buttering is the weld metal deposited on the surface of one or both parts to be joined. This deposit is done with a specific purpose in mind, and the purpose can be different under different situations. In this article we shall see various purposes … Read more
When a PQR has been qualified with base metals of a certain P-Number (or a combination of P-Numbers), that PQR can be used in production for joining base metals of only certain P-numbers. Which P-Numbers are those? Where is this subject addressed in Section IX? This article answers these questions. The article begins with explaining … Read more
In this article I have discussed how to write a WPQR – short for Welder Performance Qualification Record. This discussion is in reference to Section IX of ASME BPVC. A WPQR is a record of actual events that occurred during a welder’s performance qualification in accordance with ASME Section IX. Below is the suggested format … Read more
I have been procuring welding consumables for Section III equipment for more than a decade. Section III pertains to nuclear facility components. What should one keep in mind when procuring welding consumables for Section III equipment? How are the requirements any different from welding consumables for fossil boilers or any other pressure equipment? A raw … Read more
Every welding engineer knows the importance of preheat. It has an important effect on the properties of the weld. There exists a lot of literature stating the importance of preheat, ill-effects of not adopting preheat, methods of preheat, how to calculate preheat and so on. This article explores the various aspects of preheat with regard … Read more