To seal or not to seal

[prmmel]

I have a question on having engineer PE seals applied and when it is applicable.

First, we are an OEM and we manufacture various pollution control equipment. One piece of equipment is a flare which is self supporting. We have done the due-dillengence of having a PE run calcs and verify the flare stack meets structural requirements for windloading and seismic requirements and we also ran a MecaEnterprises modeler to verify the design to ensure it passes the structural needs. We drew up all of the details in cad and printed out the 90 pages of calcs for the file.

My questions is: Is it appropriate to have the PE seal these drawings? We disclaim in our proposals any structural PE seals/stamps or additional drawing requirements. We are essentially providing a component on a project that has many more facets. The project engineer did seal their project drawings which does describe the anchoring methods required for the flare base.

We are not required to submit these drawings. We have documented emails from the engineer on the details and drawing update requirements.

All suggestions are appreciated.

-Mel

 

[archeng59]

Is the PE an employee of your company?

 

[JAE]

prmmel,
Usually for questions like this, the bottom line answer usually should come from your local engineering board or authority.

Two things you could do -
first - get online to your state boards website where there will sure to be the engineering laws and rules/regulations that govern engineering. In most cases there is language that defines the practice of engineering. This might give you an indication whether your flare falls under that category or not.

Second - just call the board and talk to them. They are usually very willing and appreciative when they are contacted to verify the engineering law applications.

 

[archeng59]

If the PE is not your employee, he/she should seal and sign at least a letter to you stating the structural design meets the applicable code requirements. Most states require that PE's seal and sign their work: drawings representing their design; reports and/or report cover sheets; calculations if provided to the client. Calculations are typically work product and stay in the office files, so unless copies of the calcs are sent to someone outside the office they don't need to be sealed.

 

[VoyageofDiscovery]

Umm, let me guess, the PE is not a PE in the applicable state.

Well I guess in that case, his/her calcs are not worth the paper they are wriiten on.

If he/she is a PE in the state, well then get the stamp, what is a set of calcs worth in court without a seal?

 

[ATSE]

The question is, "Is this a manufactured component?"
The sunshade I bought at Costco did not have a PE stamp, but someone design it for wind load (well, probably not but they should have). Your car does not have mechanical PE stamp under the hood. And so on.
Different kind of insurance and liability.
As an engineer, I have declined this work - you get paid once for the design, the manufacturer makes a bunch of these, then you as the engineer have huge liability exposure for a disproportionally small fee.

 

[JAE]

That was my point too ATSE. Does the state laws even require this item-component-widgit to be sealed?

 

[paddingtongreen]

The PE would have to review the calcs for every state and/or city authority, with a building code.

Michael.
Timing has a lot to do with the outcome of a rain dance.

 

[TXStructural]

First, any engineer adhering to the law will not sign nor seal anything he/she did not do or did not directly oversee during execution. A PE may not examine the work of another for the purpose of sealing without verifying every calc or drawing. It might serve your purposes to have an engineer provide a sealed letter describing the work he/she did to verify the design complies with a certain code or codes. The document should include the design loads so that a project EOR has a basis to specify or accept your product/system. This would show that the item is fit for a purpose, but not necessarily fit for the specific use and location of a particular project. That is the job of the EOR for a project.

Some states do recognize seals from other states for pre-engineered components, and some don't require submission of engineering documents for many pre-engineered items.