ASME U stamp and National Board Certificate

[athomas236]

Hello,

I have received two documents from a Chinese mnufacturer as follows:

1. ASME Certificate of Authorization to use the U stamp.
2. National Board Certificate of Authorization to apply the NB mark and register items manufactured in accordance with the U stamp.

I understand item 1 but I do not understand the purpose item 2. Any advise would be gratefully received.

Regards,

athomas236

 

[PVinspector]

Most US Jurisdictions (states and large cities), and all Canadian provinces, require pressure vessels installed in their areas to be registered with the National Board. It allows for an easy and permanent method to get a copy of the data report for repairs and alterations once installed, and to track repair and alteration forms if sent to the NB with the correct documentation. Any U stamped vessel can be registered with the National Board if the Certificate holder has the authority to register. The NB will give you this for no charge if you apply and show them your Section VIII Div. 1 Certificate. (or other ASME Construction Code certificate).

It is perfectly acceptable to build an ASME U stamped vessel without a NB number and without registering the data report. However, unless it is a small and inexpensive vessel unlikely to be repaired or altered, this is usually not a good idea. Even if you know it is being installed in an area where the jurisdiction does not require NB registration, many insurance companies will require NB registration or they will not insure. Also, if the vessel is ever sold as used, without a NB number the locations it can be installed are seriously limited.

 

[athomas236]

PVinspector,

Thanks for the information, my concern was that the NB certificate maybe an indicator of quality but it looks like an agreement to store data forms for easy retrieval.

Regards,

athomas236

 

[jte]

athomas-

You may already have found this, but the NB site has good background info.

http://www.nationalboard.org/Index.aspx?pageID=9

jt

 

[REGRUMBLE]

I would like to post a correction to the reply by PVinspector. Since we are a Canadian fabricator of ASME vessels many of our tanks are not National Board registered but have Canadian Registration Numbers instead. Any vessel installed in Canada even if it is fabricated in the US must have a CRN. I have seen some shipped here with only a NB number and they are not useable. CRN's are required in Canada and NB numbers are optional and only required if the vessel ever goes to the US.

 

[athomas236]

Gentlemen,

Thank you all for your helpful advice. In my case the manufacturer is Chinese and the project location is South America.

Best Regards,

athomas236

 

[PVinspector]

Regrumble,

Thanks for the correction. I knew about CRN numbers, but thought they were required in addition to the National Board number. That is helpful.

 

[rmw]

To keep it simple for my simple mind, I remember it as the CRN is the NB of Canada. Our vessels are NB listed for USA locations but have to have CRN for Canadian sites.

rmw

 

[gr2vessels]

athomas236,
You have to read between the lanes gone haywire;- the certification you mentioned allows the Chinese fabricator to stamp the vessel, fabricated by him, with the U-stamp, but only if you pay additional fees for it, it is not coming automatically included in the price. Also, he's got a letter that he may register a product with the US NB if the Client may require that. That letter does not mean that your vessel will be registered with the US NB.
You have to ask your Client if they are interested to register their equipment in US (probably not) and if they need the U-stamp for the insurance purposes (otherwise the stamp is useless, particularly outside US or Canada, including some of the US states which fail to see any benefit in that U stamp).
Cheers,
gr2vessels