A.S.M.E. FABRICATION AND CERTIFICATION...

WHAT IT MEANS
A number of states, including all the New England states, require that any pressure vessel
installed within their jurisdiction be certified by the
American Society of Mechanical Engineers (A.S.M.E.). The following explains the significance
of this certification.
Dillon Boiler Services Co., Inc. holds A.S.M.E. "A", "S", "U", "PP" and "H" Stamps covering
the fabrication and alteration of
high pressure boilers, unfired pressure vessels, power piping and heating boilers. We have the
National Board "R" Stamp No. 182,
allowing the repair of all boilers and pressure vessels.
Requirements for code stamp qualification include certification of each welder, documentation of
material and acceptance of the finished
product by the Quality Control Manager and Authorized Inspector. Products manufactured and
accepted by an A.S.M.E. inspector bear the
appropriate symbol stamped on a nameplate affixed to each vessel.
Welders must be certified under the supervision of the Shop Foreman and Welding Engineer for
each welding process and
position within a material classification and thickness range.
All material used in code manufacture must be documented. A mill test report bearing the heat
number and material specification, describing
the chemical analysis and physical properties of the steel, must be stenciled by the mill on each
steel sheet.
All A.S.M.E. manufacturers have an Authorized Inspector, who is the judge of code
acceptability. He is an employee of a licensed insurance
company and has jurisdiction over all code phases of manufacture. He is authorized to suspend
manufacture at any time or request
that code imperfections be corrected.
The Inspector and the Quality Control Manager actually travel with each project through all
phases of the work. After the parts fit-up, they check for
alignment and insure that a difference not-to-exceed one-fourth of the material thickness is
present. The quality of weld is then checked. Outside
visual inspection checks for pinholes, undercuts, overlap, lack of weld penetration, slag inclusion
and excessive reinforcement. When appropriate,
X-ray or other non-destructive examination is used. At the final inspection, the units are
hydrostatically tested at 1.5 times working pressure
and are observed for leaks.
Upon completion of the vessels, a Manufacturer's Data Report, Form U-1A is completed. The
original copy is filed with the
National Board of Boiler and Pressure Vessel Inspectors in Columbus, Ohio, a copy is retained at
Dillon and a copy is provided to the customer.