ASME NDE Reporting Requirements

Date 02-09-2005 19:36

In a relatively recent revision to the ASME B&PV codes, including Section V, that requirement was added. There were many changes to NDE procedures, resulting in an almost a WPS style format. By that I mean that the NDE procedures now have essential and non-essential elements. Another that comes to mind is the requirement to record all indications (relavent or non-relavent). Furthermore, the lighting requirment went from 50 ft-candles to 100.

The team leader in our last joint review explained it to me like this: The ASME subcommittee on NDE wants the documents to contain as much info as possible, resulting in higher credibility of the permanent record. He likened it to that which is contained in an RT package (reader sheet and film).

Charles Hall

By thirdeye (***)

Date 02-09-2005 20:15

Charles,
Last year I did a full revision to the ASME procdeures in our QA Manual, duplicating the essential variable charts in Sect. V, changing some of the verbage and updating the changes etc. Between the written procedure, the information recorded on a method technique sheet and the information on the examination report, a lot of information is now recorded. Like I said, recording the time of exam is no big deal, I just can't understand the importance of it.

By the way, I did not see the "time of examination" requirement in the document section of Article 2 where reports and reader sheets are mentioned. Does it apply to RT? Or did I overlook it?

~thirdeye~

By chall

Date 02-09-2005 20:26

I don't think it applies to RT. My mentioning it was only to illustrate the direction ASME is going with respect to the way the MT, UT and PT documentation must now be filled out, compared to much of the permanancy (sp?) of an RT report.

The team leader was very in tune with the new changes. He harped on them pretty thoroughly because the NDE company we use didn't have their documentation updated. His words were something to the effect of how the documents would hold up in a court of law if they contained precise information about where, when, who, how, etc..

Charles

By thirdeye (***)

Date 02-09-2005 20:51

I understnad what you are saying. I was kind of picking on you by asking about the RT method. I asked the auditor on my end "if it applies to MT, PT & UT why is RT left out?" and he went off on a tangent about the radiograph being a permanant record.....having a date......traceability...etc., and then we went to lunch and talked about flyfishing.

~thirdeye~

By NDTIII

Date 02-10-2005 05:14

The latest edition of the code I have is 2002. I am not aware of any requirements for recording times of examinations for any method except UT. That requirement for UT has always been there. It is used to ensure that calibration times and calibraiton checks are performed within the specified time limits.
The only reason for recording times for PT is to ensure the dwell times, developer times, etc.

By jon20013 (*****)

Date 02-10-2005 10:47

In my experience with ASME B&PV, "Time of Examination" typically addresses "before or after PWHT." I don't think it has anything to do with an actual hour of the day. You'll note in the B&V construction codes "time of examination" is addressed.

By thirdeye (***)

Date 02-10-2005 19:56

Guys,
The sections I was refering to are all in Sect. V: T-291 only requires the date of evaluation; T-492, T-592 & T-692 require date and time examination was performed.

Like I said, this is no big deal, just made me curious about the relevance of the time of day and why is it not an important issue for RT work.

~thirdeye~

By NDTIII

Date 02-11-2005 05:11

Thirdeye,
What edition of ASME V are you looking at? I am looking at the latest Edition with 2002 Addenda.
T-692 is not there. Only T-690 which states records shall be prepared in accordance with the referencing code seciton. T-291 does not require time and date.
The only requirements for time and date are in Articles 4 & 5 for UT. As I stated before, this was to ensure calibration times are met. If you exceed your calibration verification times in UT, you must recalibrate and re-examine the part. It has nothing to do with PWHT as there is no requirement for performing NDE after PWHT except for P Nos. 3, 4 and 5 materials.
Radiography provides a permanent record and since there is no time requirements for performing RT, recording the time of examination is not important.
You didn't overlook anything. You are correct.

By thirdeye (***)

Date 02-11-2005 14:07

NDTIII,

The new paragraphs I'm referring to are in ASME V 2004 and deal with specific items (in a line item list) which are to be included in the examination records. "Date and time examinations were performed" is one of the items in this list. In this context, It leads one to believe time refers to time of day, not calibration verification time or dwell time or any other times for NDT actions.

After the conversation with Charles (above), the auditor that he discussed many of the newest changes was a clearly more prepared to respond than the auditor I visited with. None the less, my auditor was correct. It is a requirement of the Code. When I revised our QA Manual in 2004, I listed the specific items, taken directly from Sect. V, to be included in the examination report or technique / procedure sheet. Of the few PT reports undergoing review, none showed the time of day.

~thirdeye~

By dlmann

Date 02-12-2005 15:52

This a timely subject for me. We have begun our annual review of our NDE procedures.

Till now, why one would want to enter what time the exam started did'nt make sense. For a long time I thought the "time of exam" on our UT report was a misprint and was supposed to be "type of exam". No one had an answer when asked and still no questioned it when I had crossed out "time" and inserted "type" and put "annual thickness" or something like that. Till now it did'nt make sense.

In reading the responses, I take it that the total time spent on the exam is the correct entry. Did I get the point?

Regards, Donnie Mann

By thirdeye (***)

Date 02-12-2005 21:13

Donnie,

I'm not trying to beat a dead horse here but.....check out the line items in the paragraphs I listed several posts above if you have the '04 Sect. V handy.

This issue was brought to my attention on a PT report (but the wording in Sect. V is the same for MT & UT). I'm not at the office but I have my audit notes and I'm looking at a copy of the page showing T-692 (PT Examination Records). There are 8 line items (a) through (h) which list items that shall be recorded on the PT examination report. The last three are as follows:

(f) material and thickness;
(g) lighting equipment; and
(h) date and time examinations were performed.

The way I read it, (h) refers to time of day.

~thirdeye~

By dlmann

Date 02-12-2005 21:36

thirdeye:
Talk about reading in between the lines!! Went to the Tech Library and pulled Sect V 1998. T-492 and T-593 both list “(h) date and time examinations were performed”. Just trying to reconcile what I used to do while I worked for an inspection company compared to what I do now at a stationary site.

Now that I think about it, while I was working on the road I was complying with the time requirement and didn’t know it. Had to account for travel time, setup time, and inspection time on the inspection report. The form didn’t necessarily say “time of examination”, but it was there.

Regards, Donnie Mann