ASME Stamp Does Not Ensure Quality Equipment

Most people believe that an ASME Code Stamp means “High Quality”. It does not.

There are a lot of junk pressure vessels and heat exchangers currently in service with ASME Code Stamps. I see them all the time. I’ve also reviewed enough internal inspections for API 970 Corrosion Control Documents (CCDs) to understand that this junk equipment is the source of many issues in process facilities. Corrosion loves to propagate around poor and incomplete welds. “No Radiography” is specified too often for critical service. 

Shouldn’t the Authorized Inspector (AI) catch glaring mistakes? Sure, but many times the AI rubber stamps anything that passes hydrotest. That is why proper Source Inspection is a vital step that Owner/Operators should not skip. In fact, Source Inspection pays for itself by finding issues before hydrostatic testing. It becomes difficult and expensive to fix problems after an Owner/Operator has accepted the equipment into their facility because the fixes usually require an R-Stamp and another hydrotest. 

I want to see what the quality control program looks like. I want to see what the non-conformance program looks like. I want to review the detailed calculations and compare them with my own calculations for critical components. Quality shops appreciate these checks because it helps improve quality. 

Don’t assume all shops produce high quality equipment. Verify you are getting what you paid for by utilizing Source Inspection.