ASME R stamp and U stamp question

Date 06-01-2011 18:41

Kix

In my opinion...

There is no easy answer from the information given. Your statement "...and the weldment you are working on is to get U stamped,..." does not make it clear to me that the weldment on which you have to perform the weld repair is to be "Stamped", or the pressure vessel itself just has to be a stamped vessel.

It would depend on the rules in the local Jurisdiction, the application, and the contract requirements. If the Jurisdiction requires an "R"Stamp, the "U" Stamp, even with an "Extended Field Fabrication" endorsement, would not be adequate. In most cases, the welds outside of the pressure boundary, which were not originally welded to the pressure vessel, are probably not part of the "Stamped Pressure Vessel", and would not be covered by the U-Stamp in any case.

By Kix

Date 06-02-2011 14:19

Thanks for the info men! It was a very informative read between all your posts. We did call the AI and he answered the question after I posted up on here, but It was good to get some nitty gritty info like what you guys had to say. The "weldment" is a turbine inlet cooling coil which contains a frame with tube sheets, tubes, and headers. The headers are what is to be U stamped. The coils get a special coating on them before they go out in the field and this is where the failure occured. Thr coating facility picked the coil by the center 2 lifting lugs causing more of a load on 2 of the intermidiate tube sheets. 2 welds failed in the HAZ of the intermidiate tube sheets and we have to go up to WI and make the repair. The QA manager stated that we could not go up there and make the repair because we weren't a R stamp fabrication facility so I questioned it because it was only a sheet metal tube sheet the had a weld pop on it.

Thanks again guys!!

By Joseph P. Kane (****)

Date 06-02-2011 14:54

Kix

So, what was the answer from the AI????

By Kix

Date 06-03-2011 15:44

He said that we could do the repair because it was not a pressure boundary. Again, thanks for talking about the proper structure on how things like this work. I'm trying to gain as much knowledge in the world of ASME as I can.

By qcrobert (***)

Date 06-03-2011 22:08

Kix,

Just wondering what your station is at DSR Technologies. Are you above or below the QA Manager in ranking?

The reason I ask is that by holding an ASME stamp certification, the company's QC Manual spells out a chain of command and how disposition of disputes are handled and settled.

By Kix

Date 06-06-2011 16:14

I would be below the QA manager because she (QA manager) and my boss (Director of Op's) reports to the COO.

By qcrobert (***)

Date 06-01-2011 20:44

Not enough information to give you a difinitive answer however your AI could.

As an ASME certified ("U" stamp) shop you are required to notify him/her before stamping a vessel or making an "R" stamp repair.

By Kix

Date 06-02-2011 14:26

My bad, i posted some more info. :wink:

By js55

Date 06-01-2011 20:46

Joe is right. The question is put rather oddly.
The U Stamp is location specific so it depends upon your scope statement.
The U stamp is also for new construction only.
The R Stamp is for repairs or alterations to existing components per NBIC.
Also, you don't U Stamp weldments. You U stamp components. You R Stamp components as well for Repairs/Alterations per NBIC.
Joe is also correct that beyond the pressure boundary would not require any stamping, depending upon jurisdictional requirements.
However, my best advice would be that if you are a U Stamp holder contact your AI.