A long as we are "off subject" somewhat, I believe that the contractor, engineer, and inspector have to differentiate between those fittings that fall into the category where the branch fitting is covered by the ASME limitations (code specific) such as: the fitting is 2 inches or less in diameter and no more than 1/4 the diameter of the run pipe and those that are engineered because they exceed the limitations I listed. - Talk about a long run-on sentence!
It scares the hell out of me when I see a branch fitting that is an integrally reinforced branch fitting with a single root pass as the completed weld. When I ask the contractor what piping code they are working to their reply is either "ASME" or "I don't know, it's just pipe".
The bottom line is that many drawings provided to the field crews offer insufficient information to the installer, welder, and inspector. Usually I find the information I need in the project specification, but often it doesn't filter down to the people that need it and they haven't the training to know where to locate the information, thus, "it's only pipe" is the common reply I get when I ask, "What piping code are you working to?"
Just my thought on the subject. You gentlemen have covered the subject nicely.
Best regards - Al