Hi Brainfarth!
The AWS has a specification for welding of Austenitic Stainless steel tube and pipe systems in sanitary (hygienic) applications.
D18.1:1999 - This document outlines welding standards for use in the manufacture and construction of dairy and food product processing plants. The committee was formed in response to the request of the 3-A Sanitary standards committee, which develops sanitary design standards for dairy and food processing, packaging, and handling equipment and systems. 10 pages, 2 figures. ANSI approved.
They also have a guide to weld discoloration levels on the inside (root) of austenitic stainless steel tube. (AWS D18.2) This is a laminated sheet with color illustration showing the degrees of coloration on the inside of an austenitic stainless steel tube with increasing amounts of oxygen in the backing (purge) shielding gas. Suitable as a specifying tool and a visual inspection guide. Also ANSI approved.Both of these were published in 1999. You can order these through IHS (information handling systems) Global from their website at: http://www.global.ihs.com
Btw Chet, Swagelok does make both orbital welding systems and those "Kwik Clamp" fittings you mentioned. Thanks for reminding me about them!
Their website covering food and dairy products is:
http://www.swagelok.com/industry/fbd/products.asp
These folks got quite a good site as far as tubing, fittings, and welding equipment to help you comply to 3A sanitary standards and accepted practices. They also have some very good application articles with respect to orbital welding applications in the bioprocessing industries.
in this site, they were alluding to ASME section IX certification for welding BPE (Biological Processing Equipment) but, I'm not 110% sure that this applies to Brainfarth's situation. At this point I'm only 100% sure and for me, that's not good enough so,I would definitely contact them to get some clarification pertaining to certification. I would also strongly suggest to fully navigate all of the links and read all of the .pdf's associated with the food processing products they have available. Brainfarth, it looks like you've got some reading to do here so, I would suggest to you that you check out this site's articles, demo's, training brochures, and any other pdf's that will enlighten you further as to what requirements you need to meet in order to tell your friend whether or not you're up to speed on all of the issues, standards, and certifications necessary to complete the job in a timely and cost effective manner.
You can also visit 3-A Sanitary standards Inc. to get the latest standards and accepted practices regarding Milk and Dairy products, equipment and systems at:
http://www.3-a.org/standards/standards.htm
When you get to this site, read about this committee because you'll notice who's involved & their affiliations (these websites are found in the links) and their credentials in developing these sanitary standards. after you're finished reading, you'll want to click the link that reads:
"Click here to view the current list of 3A Standards and purchasing information". now you'll be in Techstreet's website which will give you all of the current 3A standards and accepted practices.
I briefly navigated the lists and found a few that might help, these were listed by their catalog numbers: 3A 605-04 (accepted practice for permanently installed product and solution pipelines and cleaning systems used in milk and milk product processing plants) but this one may be more suitable for your application:
3A 606-05 (accepted practices for the design, fabrication, and installation of and milk handling equipment).
You also may want to take a look at: 3A 63-03 (sanitary fittings for milk and milk products) and 3A 33-01 (polished metal for milk and milk products).
Well that's it for now so, I hope this enlightens you further in your quest to be prepared and to "cover all of the bases" so to speak, in that you can achieve a timely and cost effective completion to this project.
Respectfully,
SSBN727 Run Silent... Run Deep!!!