ASME B31.

3-2020
(Revision of ASME B31.3-2018)

Process Piping
ASME Code for Pressure Piping, B31

A N I N T E R N AT I O N A L P I P I N G CO D E ®
 ASME B31.3-2020

Chapter V
Fabrication, Assembly, and Erection

327 GENERAL (a) The procedures meet the requirements of ASME

BPVC, Section IX and any additional qualification require-
Metallic piping materials and components are prepared ments of this Code.
for assembly and erection by one or more of the fabrica- (b) The employer has qualified at least one welder,
tion processes covered in paras. 328, 330, 331, 332, and brazer, or operator following each WPS or BPS.
333. When any of these processes is used in assembly or (c) The employer’s business name shall be shown on
erection, requirements are the same as for fabrication. each WPS and BPS, and on each qualification record. In
addition, qualification records shall be signed and
328 WELDING AND BRAZING dated by the employer, thereby accepting responsibility
Welding and brazing shall conform to the requirements for the qualifications performed by others.
of this Chapter and the applicable requirements of 328.2.3 Performance Qualification by Others. In
para. 311.2. order to avoid duplication of effort and subject to the
approval of the owner, an employer may accept the perfor-
328.1 Responsibility mance qualification of a welder, brazer, or operator made
Each employer is responsible for by a previous employer. This acceptance is limited to
(a) the welding and brazing performed by personnel of performance qualifications that were made on pipe or
its organization tube test coupons. The new employer shall have the
(b) conducting the qualification tests required to WPS or BPS that was followed during qualification or
qualify the welding or brazing procedure specifications an equivalent WPS or BPS that is within the limits of
used by personnel in its organization, except as provided the essential variables set forth in ASME BPVC, Section
in paras. 328.2.1 and 328.2.2 IX. An employer accepting such qualification tests shall
(c) conducting the qualification tests required to obtain a copy of the performance qualification test
qualify the welders, brazers, and operators, except as record from the previous employer. The record shall
provided in para. 328.2.3 show the name of the employer by whom the welder,
brazer, or operator was qualified and the date of that quali-
328.2 Welding and Brazing Qualification fication. Evidence shall also be provided that the welder,
brazer, or operator has maintained qualification in accor-
Welding and brazing procedure specifications (WPSs
dance with QW-322 and QB-322 of ASME BPVC, Section IX,
and BPSs) to be followed in production welding shall
except that this evidence may be provided by an employer
be prepared and qualified, and welders, brazers, and
responsible for the individual’s welding or brazing perfor-
operators shall be qualified as required by ASME
mance even if not the original qualifying employer. The
BPVC, Section IX except as modified by para. 333 for
new employer’s business name shall be shown on the
brazing of Category D Fluid Service piping and by the
qualification record, and it shall be signed and dated
following subparagraphs.
by the employer, thereby accepting responsibility for
328.2.1 Standard Welding Procedure Specifications. the qualifications performed by others.
Standard welding procedure specifications published
328.2.4 Qualification Records. The employer shall
by the American Welding Society and listed in ASME
maintain copies of the procedure and performance quali-
BPVC, Section IX, Appendix E are permitted for Code
fication records specified by ASME BPVC, Section IX that
construction within the limitations established by
shall be available to the Inspector at the location where
ASME BPVC, Section IX, Article V.
welding is being done.
328.2.2 Procedure Qualification by Others. In order to
avoid duplication of effort and subject to the approval of 328.3 Welding Materials
the owner, WPSs and BPSs qualified by a technically 328.3.1 Electrodes and Filler Metal. Welding elec-
competent group or agency may be used provided the trodes and filler metal, including consumable inserts,
following are met: shall conform to the requirements of ASME BPVC,

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be in accordance with acceptable designs for unequal wall K328.6 Weld Repair
thickness in ASME B16.5.
Paragraph 328.6 applies, except that procedures and
K328.4.3 Alignment performance shall be qualified as required by para.
K328.2.1. See also para. K341.3.3.
(a) Girth Butt Welds
(1) Inside diameters of components at the ends to be
K330 PREHEATING
joined shall be aligned within the dimensional limits in the
welding procedure and the engineering design, except K330.1 General ð20Þ
that no more than 1.5 mm ( 1 ∕ 16 in.) misalignment is
permitted as shown in Figure K328.4.3. The preheat requirements herein apply to all types of
(2) If the external surfaces of the two components welding, including tack welds and repair welds.
are not aligned, the weld shall be tapered between the K330.1.1 Requirements. Paragraph 330.1.1 applies.
two surfaces with a slope not steeper than 1:4.
(b) Longitudinal Butt Joints. Preparation for longitudi- K330.1.2 Unlisted Materials. Paragraph 330.1.2
nal butt welds (not made in accordance with a standard applies.
listed in Table K-1 or Table K326.1) shall conform to the K330.1.3 Temperature Verification. Paragraph
requirements of (a). 330.1.3(a) applies. Temperature-indicating materials
(c) Branch Connection Welds and techniques shall not be detrimental to the base metals.
(1) The dimension m in Figure K328.5.4 shall not
exceed ±1.5 mm (1∕16 in.). K330.1.4 Preheat Zone. Paragraph 330.1.4 applies.
(2) The dimension g in Figure K328.5.4 shall be
K330.2 Specific Requirements
specified in the engineering design and the welding proce-
dure. Paragraph 330.2 applies in its entirety.

K328.5 Welding Requirements K331 HEAT TREATMENT ð20Þ

K328.5.1 General. The requirements of K331.1 General
paras. 328.5.1(b), 328.5.1(d), 328.5.1(e), and 328.5.1(f)
apply in addition to the requirements specified below. K331.1.1 Postweld Heat Treatment Requirements.
(a) All welds, including tack welds, repair welds, and The provisions of para. 331.1.1 and Tables 331.1.1,
the addition of weld metal for alignment 331.1.2, and 331.1.3 apply, except as specified below.
[paras. K328.4.2(b)(3) and K328.4.3(c)(1)], shall be (a) The exemptions to mandatory postweld heat treat-
made by qualified welders or welding operators, in accor- ment in Table 331.1.3 for P-No. 1, all Group Nos., are not
dance with a qualified procedure. permitted when the control thickness exceeds 19 mm
(b) Tack welds at the root of the joint shall be made with (3/4 in.).
filler metal equivalent to that used for the root pass. Tack (b) The exemptions to mandatory postweld heat treat-
welds shall be fused with the root pass weld, except that ment in Table 331.1.3 for P-No. 4, Group No. 1 and P-No.
those that have cracked shall be removed. Bridge tacks 5A, Group No. 1 materials are not permitted
(above the root) shall be removed. (c) For quenched and tempered materials, any heat
treatment of other than longitudinal welds shall be
K328.5.2 Fillet Welds. Fillet welds, where permitted performed at a temperature no warmer than 28°C
(see para. K311.2.2), shall be fused with and shall
merge smoothly into the component surfaces.
K328.5.3 Seal Welds. Seal welds are not permitted.
Figure K328.4.3 Pipe Bored for Alignment: Trimming and
K328.5.4 Welded Branch Connections. Branch Permitted Misalignment
connection fittings (see para. 300.2), attached by smoothly
contoured full penetration groove welds of a design that
permits 100% interpretable radiographic examination,
are the only types acceptable.
Figure K328.5.4 shows acceptable details of welded
branch connections. The illustrations are typical and
are not intended to exclude acceptable types of construc-
tion not shown.
K328.5.5 Fabricated Laps. Fabricated laps are not
permitted.

Дотоод ирмэгийн зөрүү 1.5 мм хэтрэхгүй байх

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Figure K328.5.4 Some Acceptable Welded Branch Connections Suitable for 100% Radiography

(50°F) below the tempering temperature of the material. K331.2 Specific Requirements
When this heat treatment temperature is lower than the
range specified in Table 331.1.1, the decrease in heat treat- Paragraph 331.2 applies, but refer to para. K331.1
ment temperature shall be accompanied by an increase in instead of para 331.1.
holding time in accordance with Table 331.1.2.
(d) Longitudinal welds in quenched and tempered K332 BENDING AND FORMING
material shall be heat treated in accordance with the ap- K332.1 General
plicable material specification.
(e) Refer to para. K331.1.3 instead of para. 331.1.3. Pipe shall be hot or cold bent in accordance with a
(f) Refer to Appendix K instead of Appendix A. written procedure to any radius that will result in surfaces
(g) ASME B31P and para. 328.7 do not apply. free of cracks and free of buckles. The procedure shall
address at least the following, as applicable:
K331.1.2 Other Heat Treatments. Heat treatment for (a) material specification and range of size and thick-
bending and forming shall be in accordance with ness
para. K332.4. (b) range of bend radii and fiber elongation
K331.1.3 Definition of Thicknesses Governing Post- (c) minimum and maximum metal temperature during
weld Heat Treatment. The provisions of para. 331.1.3 bending
apply, except for 331.1.3(b)(5). (d) method of heating and maximum hold time
(e) description of bending apparatus and procedure to
K331.1.4 Heating and Cooling. Paragraph 331.1.4 be used
applies. (f) mandrels or material and procedure used to fill the
K331.1.6 Temperature Verification. Heat treatment bore
temperature shall be checked by thermocouple pyrom- (g) method for protection of thread and machined
eters or other suitable methods to ensure that the surfaces
WPS requirements are met. Temperature-indicating (h) examination to be performed
materials and techniques shall not be detrimental to (i) required heat treatment
the base metals. (j) postheat treatment dimensional adjustment tech-
nique

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