Authorized Inspector (AI) Inspections

[MrRedfish89]

I work as a QC Manager for a company that manufactures jacketed pressure vessels. When I schedule a inspection with my AI to review a new job, he insists on reviewing my vessel calculations page by page, and requesting changes when he finds a mistake. I have no problem providing him with the calculations to ensure they have been done for the job, but does he have the responsibility of finding mistakes in them and requesting them to be fixed? I remembering somewhere it coming to light that this is not one of his responsibilities, and that he is to ensure the job is built per drawings that he is provided and built per ASME?

 

[fegenbush]

How would the AI know if the vessel is build per ASME if the calculations are incorrect?

 

[MrRedfish89]

As an commissioned AI, he should be able to review provided drawings and recognize whether or not the vessel is designed per ASME and then then through periodic inspections and hold points, ensure the vessel is fabricated and tested per the drawings. Our company PE generates these calculations so our draftsmen can generate drawings with correct weld sizes, etc. as dictated by pipe size, flange size, and so on. These calculations are for design purposes mostly, not to be inspected for mistakes.

 

[doct9960]

MrRedfish89,

I have no problem providing him with the calculations to ensure they have been done for the job, but does he have the responsibility of finding mistakes in them and requesting them to be fixed?

It is the AI's responsibility to validate your calculations and he has the right to request (or demand) that incorrect calculations be fixed. If your Code of Construction is ASME Section VIII, Division 1, please refer to 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 that the vessel has been designed and constructed in accordance with the requirements. The Inspector has the 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."

These calculations are for design purposes mostly, not to be inspected for mistakes.

Calculations are required to verify that minimum requirements of the Code have been complied with. The only way for the AI to confirm that your calcs are correct is to review them. Nobody in his right mind would certify documents or calculations without thoroughly reviewing them. It is unethical to do that!

I am not an AI, but sometimes I am assigned to review vessel drawings and calculations. I don't look for mistakes. I ensure that drawings and calculations are correct and meet Client or Code requirements.

 

[metengr]

Read the applicable Code of Construction that specifies the AI responsibilities. Second, the National Board specifies duties for a NB commissioned AI, and one of them is to review design calculations. Review can mean one of several steps depending on the comfort level of the AI - making sure the calculations are complete. So, if there are errors or omissions, yes, it is the duty of their AI to point those out, and have them corrected to his/her satisfaction.