Zylinderkopf
Mechanical
- Dec 30, 2005
- 45
Greetings to all:
I apologize in advance if this enquiry is not clearly-understood, as I am neither a Welding Engineer nor a Metallurgist, nor am I experienced in way of the subject matter (however, I sincerely admire each and every one of you who are).
I am presently employed by a petroleum company at one of their refineries located in the United States, where there exists a “database” of the WPSs (and their supporting WPQRs) that can be used at this location.
There is one (1) WPS for the SMAW process in way of a “P1” parent material-to-another “P1” material. This same WPS describes the parent material as “Carbon Steel”-to-the-welded-material as (specifically) “API 5L”.
I have informed our QC/QA Department that this WPS is confusing to me when I need to cite it for performing fabrication, particularly in way of ASME Section VIII vessel alterations. I guess that I would prefer to see a WPS that is supported for the SMAW process to join “P1” materials, AND, that the WPS would describe as “Carbon Steel-to-Carbon Steel” (or, if our QC/QA would prefer, “Carbon Steel-to-Carbon Steel / API 5L”.
Thus far, I have been “required” to “call-out” this WPS when there have been pressure vessel alterations that required the use of Carbon Steel pipe, and, that was NOT API 5L line pipe, as part of the pressure vessel alteration.
The QC/QA Department has become irritated with me, because they feel that even though the “API 5L” material is specifically “called-out” on the WPS, and because this WPS is PQR-qualified/supported for SMAW of “P1-to-P1” materials, that I should “know” that this same WPS is then ALSO considered supported for SMAW of “any” Carbon Steel-to-Carbon Steel” pipe materials. This still remains unclear to me and for the following reasons:
(1) When reviewing the ASME Section IX QW-420, -421, and -422.1 through -422.11, there does not seem to be any mention of either “API 5L” material or any of the API-ASTM material “equivalents” for the P-number “1” materials shown in these Paragraphs. Would someone please inform me as to how I locate the API material equivalents for the ASME P-number “1” materials listed in QW-422? This question is such that I will later “know” how to correctly interpret the WPSs that I read.
(2) Although “API 5L” material is specifically indicated on the WPS, there is no mention of the API 5L material “grade” that is acceptable for the qualified/supported SMAW process. I seem to recall that there is at least one “X-“grade of API 5L line pipe that should NOT be welded with the SMAW process, but, I am not certain…if this is correct, should this not be indicated on this WPS?
(3) Would you consider it advisable for me to request that there be issued a WPS that is supported specifically for “Carbon Steel-to-Carbon Steel” pipe (of P1 materials), excluding the API 5L material?…this is in-keeping with my future pressure vessel alteration work in-mind.
Thank you all for your time and kind consideration of my enquiry.
I apologize in advance if this enquiry is not clearly-understood, as I am neither a Welding Engineer nor a Metallurgist, nor am I experienced in way of the subject matter (however, I sincerely admire each and every one of you who are).
I am presently employed by a petroleum company at one of their refineries located in the United States, where there exists a “database” of the WPSs (and their supporting WPQRs) that can be used at this location.
There is one (1) WPS for the SMAW process in way of a “P1” parent material-to-another “P1” material. This same WPS describes the parent material as “Carbon Steel”-to-the-welded-material as (specifically) “API 5L”.
I have informed our QC/QA Department that this WPS is confusing to me when I need to cite it for performing fabrication, particularly in way of ASME Section VIII vessel alterations. I guess that I would prefer to see a WPS that is supported for the SMAW process to join “P1” materials, AND, that the WPS would describe as “Carbon Steel-to-Carbon Steel” (or, if our QC/QA would prefer, “Carbon Steel-to-Carbon Steel / API 5L”.
Thus far, I have been “required” to “call-out” this WPS when there have been pressure vessel alterations that required the use of Carbon Steel pipe, and, that was NOT API 5L line pipe, as part of the pressure vessel alteration.
The QC/QA Department has become irritated with me, because they feel that even though the “API 5L” material is specifically “called-out” on the WPS, and because this WPS is PQR-qualified/supported for SMAW of “P1-to-P1” materials, that I should “know” that this same WPS is then ALSO considered supported for SMAW of “any” Carbon Steel-to-Carbon Steel” pipe materials. This still remains unclear to me and for the following reasons:
(1) When reviewing the ASME Section IX QW-420, -421, and -422.1 through -422.11, there does not seem to be any mention of either “API 5L” material or any of the API-ASTM material “equivalents” for the P-number “1” materials shown in these Paragraphs. Would someone please inform me as to how I locate the API material equivalents for the ASME P-number “1” materials listed in QW-422? This question is such that I will later “know” how to correctly interpret the WPSs that I read.
(2) Although “API 5L” material is specifically indicated on the WPS, there is no mention of the API 5L material “grade” that is acceptable for the qualified/supported SMAW process. I seem to recall that there is at least one “X-“grade of API 5L line pipe that should NOT be welded with the SMAW process, but, I am not certain…if this is correct, should this not be indicated on this WPS?
(3) Would you consider it advisable for me to request that there be issued a WPS that is supported specifically for “Carbon Steel-to-Carbon Steel” pipe (of P1 materials), excluding the API 5L material?…this is in-keeping with my future pressure vessel alteration work in-mind.
Thank you all for your time and kind consideration of my enquiry.