Role and Responsibility of ASME Body When Equipment is Failure/Accident

[gun46]

Hi engineers and expertise, I read some clauses of ASME VIII Div 1 and I confused regarding to ASME Certification.
Example cases : User has purchased completed vessel with ASME Stamp from Autorized Manufacturer and has been certified/marked by AI. During a few weeks operation, unfortunately vessel occured catastrophic failure and result of investigation is caused by lack of Quality Control when it built at manufacturer. What should user do? Should he claims to manufacturer? And if user send a accident report to ASME, will ASME help user by assign investigator?

Thx

 

[oknow]

As I know it, depending on the situation if ASME is notified they will investigate. If this happens in the USA the Chief Inspector of the State responsible for Boilers and Pressure Vessel enforcement will also investigate and he may ask for the assistance of the National Board. The National Board may also act on its own it has concerns or some doubt about the AI's duties. There may be others who investigate depending on the situation.

 

[JStephen]

First off, you have a legal/liability claim, but how that works is going to vary widely depending on where you are, where the vessel was made, and the nature of the contract terms used- you'd need to contact your own legal advisors and insurance adjusters on that end.
I would for sure advise ASME of what went on, but would not assume that they or the National Board would automatically handle all investigations- I could see that varying widely depending on the circumstances.

 

[gun46]

In my country, commonly user has offered by manufacturer for vessel with marking or not regarding additional cost for it.
If not, manufacturer workmanship follow rules of code exclude clause of certification. Some user don't know if vessel
shall be built by certified manufacturer as conformance to definition at Mandatory Appendix 3 definition manufacturer and completed vessel. Some user always ask what is a function of ASME Marking if manufacturer built vessel in accordance with code (exclude Marking) as stated at contract between User and Manufacturer and User still able to verify manufacturer Quality Control system is applied

 

[chicopee]

Can you tell us where the pressure vessel was built. The AI would be the guy resident at the manufacturer's fabrication plant overseeing all aspects of the vessel construction so I find it a little difficult to understand your statement about lack of quality control.

 

[RVAmeche]

It seems common for users/clients to ask for a 13 psig vessel thats "built to" ASME but not stamped. A failure of that vessel probably wouldn't apply to ASME since it's outside their scope (ie, 15 psig and above)? Unless it was something egregious in the construction that ASME doesn't allow.

But if you have a vessel built to 15+ psig and not stamped, I would think the manufacturer could be in trouble for not building a vessel to the required pressure vessel code fully, ie stamping and certifying it?

 

[hacksaw]

The ASME sets minimum design requirements, and may be referred to in the laws of your area.

Sounds like you have a substandard supplier, or a substandard contractor who installed the vessel. Ultimately it is the buyer who assumes all legal responsibility for custom designs, and its proper installation and use.