Audit Vessel

The ASME Audit

PVEng has been involved in many ASME Audits, mostly for VIII-1. This sample shows the most common audit vessel that a vessel shop builds when it has no vessels on order that it can use for an audit, or when it is first seeking ASME certification. Useful information about what is recommended for an audit can be found in:

ASME Boiler & Pressure Vessel Accreditation Guide For ASME Review Teams For Review Of Applicants For ASME Certificates Of Authorization (A, M, PP, S, E, V, HV, H, HLW, H (Cast Iron/Cast Aluminium), UD, UV, UV3, U, UM, U2, U3, RP, T, TD, TV) (guide)

From this document:

  • A review must cover a QC Manual and its implementation.
  • It is expected that fabrication functions be demonstrated using typical Code work. However they may be demonstrated using current work, a mock-up, or a combination of the two.

The above document also answers an often asked question – How do I qualify for more than one ASME stamp? Answer: Only one demonstration vessel is required, however more than one calculation set might be necessary:

For Applicants requesting multiple stamps, it is not necessary to have a demonstration item with design calculations for each Code Section. An item fabricated to any one of the requested Code Symbols may be used as the demonstration item. However, if the demonstration item is not to the most stringent Code requirements, the Applicant must provide additional calculations or another documentation package that contains Code calculations to the most stringent Code requirements and administrative documentation to sufficiently demonstrate compliance with all aspects of the company’s QCS.

This Audit Vessel

This vessel qualifies as a mock-up. The vessel, calculation set and drawings are simple. The materials are easy to source, the fabrication is straightforward and the audit team has seen it before. However, we suggest that where practical, a real in-production vessel be used instead. If a mock-up is required, we can also design other vessel configurations that would be useful after the audit – such as air receivers.

We can update the drawing and calculation set to the latest code and addenda if you want to use this vessel. (Do not use these out of date calculations and drawing for an audit!) We can also re-design the vessel changing size, materials, thicknesses and nozzle configurations as desired. Also commonly requested – update the design to demonstrate radiography.

Pretend that the auditor will randomly pick an in-production vessel for review. The validation below is a one-off for the audit, but everything else should match your regular production methods. 

Any current Code work ongoing at the time of the joint review is subject to the Team’s review (guide)

 

Sample drawing of a standard pressure vessel for ASME audits.

Code Design Software and Validation

The goal of the audit is to review that your regular production methods are acceptable, not that you can make a special one-off effort. The code calculation software that you use for the audit should be the software you regularly use. For this sample, Design Calcs is used, which is fine if that is your regular software. We can also provide calculations in Compress or PV Elite. 

From the above referenced ASME document (guide)

If computer calculations are to be used, the Applicant shall demonstrate that the computer program has the capability of producing acceptable calculations.

The two most successful methods we have used are:

  • Re-calculating the shell and one nozzle using a calculator, recording the results by hand. The calculations are organized so that the computer results can be directly compared with the calculator results on a one to one basis. See Hand Calculations for our take on how to prepare a successful set of calculations. The hand calculations should agree line for line, number for number with the calculation set, and they should reference back to the code book to show that appropriate formulas are being used.
  • Re-calculating the shell and one nozzle using a calculator, recording the results in Word. The same organization is used.

The Drawing

This drawing is created in SolidWorks. By default, we use SolidWorks to create vessel drawings unless AutoCAD is specified. The drawing provides all required information to order material, fabricate and inspect without referring to the calculation set – a standard for pressure vessel drawings. 

Looking for Help?

Call us if you are looking for assistance on your next audit. We can provide a quote on the drawings, calculations and verification set. At this time we do not provide assistance in writing and implementing QC manuals.

Downloads (pdf format):

  • Audit Vessel Design Calculations These calculations are not to the latests code and addenda, contact us for a quote if you need up to date calculations for an audit.
  • Audit Vessel Drawing Likewise, this drawing needs to be updated to the latest code and addenda for an audit.

File: PVE-5918, Last Updated: May 2018, By: CBM

ASME Code Design at PVEng

We work to many ASME standards to design and validate pressure vessels, boiler, fittings and piping systems. We have experience designing thousands of vessels and fittings to multiple codes.

  • Pressure vessel design to ASME VIII-1 and VIII-2
  • Hot water heaters and boilers to ASME I and IV
  • Piping to B31.1, B31.3, B31.5 and others
  • Burst testing to multiple codes

We use Compress, PV Elite, Design Calcs, Nozzle Pro and our own in-house software.

Other Services

Finite Element Analysis (FEA) – We use FEA to design and validate fittings and vessels that cannot be designed by rule-based codes like VIII-1 or B31.3.

Pipe Stress Analysis – Pipe stress analysis is mandatory for British Columbia registration and it is recommended practice for many other systems.

Canadian Registration Number (CRN) – We are Canada’s largest independent registrar of fittings, vessels and piping under the CRN program registering for more than a thousand customers.

About Us

Pressure Vessel Engineering has over twenty years of successful experience in the pressure vessel field working for more than a thousand customers.

  • Twelve Professional Engineers on staff licensed to stamp and sign off on designs for use in all Canadian jurisdictions.
  • Fast and professional assistance from our team.

Need help? Our contact information is to the right.