PRODUCTS AND FITTINGS
WB-2551 Required Examination
In addition to the requirements of the material specifi-cation and of this Article, seamless and welded tubular products (including pipe flanges and fittings machined from forgings and bars) shall comply with the following.
(a) Wrought seamless and welded pipe and tubing shall be examined over the entire volume13of the material in accordance with(1),(2), or(3), as follows. Tubular pro-ducts may require both outside and inside surface condi-tioning prior to examination.
(1) Pipe and Tubing
(-a) Pipe and tubing smaller than 21/2in. (64 mm) O.D. shall be examined by the ultrasonic method in accor-dance withWB-2552.1(a)in two opposite circumferential directions14and by the eddy current method in accor-dance withWB-2554, provided the product is limited to sizes, materials, and thicknesses for which meaningful re-sults can be obtained by eddy current examination as evi-denced by detection of required standards. Each method shall be calibrated to the appropriate standard: that is, the ultrasonic method shall be calibrated to the axial notches or grooves ofWB-2552.1(b), and the eddy cur-rent method shall be calibrated to the circumfecur-rential notches and grooves as well as the radial hole of WB-2554.2.
(-b) As an alternative to the eddy current exami-nation or when the eddy current examiexami-nation does not yield meaningful results, an axial scan ultrasonic exami-nation in two opposite axial directions,14in accordance withWB-2552.1(b), shall be made.
(2) Pipe and tubing 21/2in. (64 mm) O.D. and larger shall be examined by the ultrasonic method in accordance withWB-2552.1(a)in two opposite circumferential direc-tions, and in accordance withWB-2552.1(b)in two oppo-site axial directions. Alternatively, for welded without filler metal pipe larger than 63/4in. (170 mm) O.D., the
plate shall be examined by the ultrasonic method in ac-cordance withWB-2530prior to forming and the weld shall be examined by the radiographic method in accor-dance withWB-2553. Radiographic examination of welds, including repair welds, shall be performed after final roll-ing and formroll-ing and may be performed prior to any re-quired postweld heat treatment.
(3) Copper–nickel alloy and nickel alloy seamless pipe and tubing shall be examined as follows.
(-a) Each pipe and tube, all sizes shall be ultraso-nically examined in accordance withWB-2552.1(a)in two opposite circumferential directions.
(-b) Pipe and tubing smaller than 21/2in. (64 mm) O.D. shall be examined by the eddy current method in ac-cordance withWB-2554if meaningful indications can be obtained from the reference specimen notches. If mean-ingful indications cannot be obtained from the reference specimen, an axial scan ultrasonic examination in two op-posite axial directions, in accordance withWB-2552.1(b), shall be made.
(-c) Pipe and tubing 21/2in. (64 mm) O.D. and larg-er shall be examined by an axial scan ultrasonic examina-tion in two opposite axial direcexamina-tions in accordance with WB-2552.1(b).
(b) Wrought seamless and welded without filler metal fittings (including pipe flanges and fittings machined from forgings and bars) shall be examined in accordance with the material specification, and in addition by the magnetic particle method in accordance withWB-2555, or the li-quid penetrant method in accordance withWB-2556on all external surfaces and all accessible internal surfaces (excluding bolt holes and threads). Additionally, for fit-tings over NPS 6 (DN 150), the entire volume shall be ex-a mi ne d by t he ul tr ex-as o n ic me t hod , i f fe ex-a s ible , i n accordance withWB-2552, or the radiographic method in accordance withWB-2553. Alternatively, the plate shall be examined by the ultrasonic method in accordance with WB-2530prior to forming and the weld shall be exam-ined by the radiographic method in accordance with WB-2553. Radiographic examination of welds, including repair welds, shall be performed after final rolling and forming, and may be performed prior to any required postweld heat treatment.
WB-2552 Ultrasonic Examination14
WB-2552.1 Examination Procedure for Pipe and Tubing. Independent channels or instruments shall be employed for circumferential and axial scans.
(a) Circumferential Direction. The procedure for ultra-sonic examination of pipe and tubing in the circumferen-tial direction shall be in accordance with SE-213 except as required in WB-2551(a)(1), WB-2551(a)(2), and WB-2551(a)(3)(-a), and the requirements of this para-graph. The procedure shall provide a sensitivity which will consistently detect defects that produce indications
equal to, or greater than, the indications produced by the standard defects included in the reference specimens spe-cified inWB-2552.3.
(b) Axial Direction. When required byWB-2551, the ul-trasonic examination of pipe and tubing shall include an-gle beam scanning in the axial direction. The procedure for the axial scans shall be in accordance with SE-213, ex-cept that the propagation of sound in the tube or pipe wall shall be in the axial direction instead of the circumferen-tial direction and as required in WB-2551(a)(1)(-b), W B - 2 5 5 1 ( a ) ( 2 ), W B - 2 5 5 1 ( a ) ( 3 ) ( - b ), a n d WB-2551(a)(3)(-c).Figure WB-2552.1-1 illustrates the characteristic oblique entry of sound into the pipe or tube wall and the axial direction of ultrasonic energy propaga-tion to detect transverse notches or similar surface discontinuities.
(c) Acceptance Standards. Products with defects that produce indications in excess of the indications produced by the standard defects in the reference specimen are un-acceptable unless the defects are eliminated or repaired in accordance withWB-2558orWB-2559.
WB-2552.2 Examination Procedure for Fittings.
(a) Procedure. The procedure for ultrasonic examina-tion of fittings shall be in accordance with the require-ments of SA-388 for straight beam examination and, where feasible, angle‐beam examination in two circum-ferential directions.
(b) Acceptance Standards. Fittings shall be unaccepta-ble if straight beam examination shows one or more re-flectors that produce indications accompanied by complete loss of back reflection not associated with or at-tributable to the geometric configuration, or if angle beam examination results show one or more reflectors that pro-duce indications exceeding in amplitude the indications from the calibrated notch. Complete loss of back reflec-tion is assumed when the back reflecreflec-tion falls below 5%
of full calibration screen height.
WB-2552.3 Reference Specimens.
(a) The reference specimen shall be of the same nom-inal diameter and thickness, and of the same nomnom-inal composition and heat-treated condition as the product which is being examined. For circumferential scanning, the standard defects shall be axial notches or grooves on the outside and inside surfaces of the reference speci-men, and shall have a length of approximately 1 in.
(25 mm) or less, a width not to exceed1/16in. (1.5 mm) for a square notch or U‐notch, a width proportional to the depth for a V‐notch, and a depth not greater than the larger of 0.004 in. (0.10 mm) or 5% of the nominal wall thickness. For axial scanning in accordance with SE-213, a transverse (circumferential) notch shall be in-troduced on the inner and outer surfaces of the standard.
Dimensions of the transverse notch shall not exceed those of the longitudinal notch. The reference specimen may be the product being examined.
(b) The reference specimen shall be long enough to si-mulate the handling of the product being examined through the examination equipment. When more than one standard defect is placed in a reference specimen, the defects shall be located so that indications from each defect are separate and distinct without mutual interfer-ence or amplification. All upset metal and burrs adjacent to the reference notches shall be removed.
WB-2552.4 Checking and Calibration of Equipment.
The proper functioning of the examination equipment shall be checked and the equipment shall be calibrated by the use of the reference specimens, as a minimum
(a) at the beginning of each production run of a given size and thickness of a given material;
(b) after each 4 hr or less during the production run;
(c) at the end of the production run;
(d) at any time that malfunctioning is suspected. If, dur-ing any check, it is determined that the test equipment is not functioning properly, all of the product that has been tested since the last valid equipment calibration shall be reexamined.
WB-2553 Radiographic Examination
(a) General. When radiographic examination is per-formed as an alternative for ultrasonic examination of the entire volume of the material, it shall apply to the en-tire volume of the pipe, tube, or fitting material. Accep-tance standards specified for welds shall apply to the entire volume of material examined.
(b) Examination Procedure. The radiographic examina-tion shall be performed in accordance with Secexamina-tion V, Article 2, as modified byWB-5111.
(c) Acceptance Standard. Welds that are shown by radiography to have any of the following types of discon-tinuities are unacceptable:
(1) any type of crack or zone of incomplete fusion or penetration;
Figure WB-2552.1-1
Axial Propagation of Sound in Tube Wall
(2) any other elongated indication which has a length greater than:
(-a) 1/4in. for t up to3/4in. (6 mm to 19 mm), inclusive
(-b)1/3t for t from 3/4 in. to 21/4in., inclusive (19 mm to 57 mm)
(-c) 3/4in. for t over 21/4in. (19 mm to 57 mm) where t is the thickness of the thinner portion of the weld;
(3) any group of aligned indications having an aggre-gate length greater than t in a length of 12t , unless the minimum distance between successive indications ex-ceeds 6L , in which case the aggregate length is unlimited, L being the length of the largest indication;
(4) rounded indications in excess of that shown as acceptable in Section III Appendices, Mandatory Appen-dix VI.
WB-2554 Eddy Current Examination
This examination method is restricted to materials with uniform magnetic properties and of sizes for which mean-ingful results can be obtained.
WB-2554.1 Examination Procedure. The procedure for eddy current examination shall provide a sensitivity that will consistently detect defects by comparison with the standard defects included in the reference specimen specified inWB-2554.2. Products with defects that pro-duce indications in excess of the reference standards are unacceptable unless the defects are eliminated or re-paired in accordance with WB-2558 or WB-2559as applicable.
WB-2554.2 Reference Specimens. The reference specimen shall be of the same nominal diameter and thickness, and of the same nominal composition and heat-treated condition as the product that is being examined.
The standard shall contain tangential or circumferential notches on the outside surface plus a1/16in. (1.5 mm) dia-meter hole drilled through the wall. For copper–nickel al-loy and nickel alal-loy materials, the standard shall have one notch extending circumferentially on the outside surface and one notch extending circumferentially on the inside surface plus a 1/16 in. (1.5 mm) diameter hole drilled through the wall. These shall be used to establish the re-jection level for the product to be tested. The reference notches shall have a depth not greater than the larger of 0.004 in. (0.10 mm) or 5% of the wall thickness. The width of the notch shall not exceed 1/16 in. (1.5 mm).
The length shall be approximately 1 in. (25 mm) or less.
The size of reference specimens shall be as specified in WB-2552.3.
WB-2554.3 Checking and Calibration of Equipment.
The checking and calibration of examination equipment shall be the same as inWB-2552.4.
WB-2555 Magnetic Particle Examination
Magnetic particle examination shall be performed in ac-cordance with the requirements ofWB-2545.
WB-2556 Liquid Penetrant Examination
Liquid penetrant examination shall be performed in ac-cordance with the requirements ofWB-2546.
WB-2557 Time of Examination
(a) Products that are quenched and tempered shall be examined, as required, after the quenching and tempering heat treatment.
(b) Products that are not quenched and tempered shall receive the required examinations as follows:
(1) Ultrasonic or eddy current examination, when re-quired, shall be performed after final heat treatment, ex-cept postweld heat treatment.
(2) Radiographic examination, when required, may be performed prior to any required postweld heat treatment.
(3) Magnetic particle or liquid penetrant examina-tion, including repair welds, shall be performed after final heat treatment, except that the examination may be per-formed prior to postweld heat treatment for P‐No. 1 (Sec-tion IX of the Code) materials of 2 in. (50 mm) and less nominal thickness.
(4) Forgings and rolled bars which are to be bored and/or turned to form tubular parts or fittings shall be ex-amined after boring and/or turning, except for threading.
Fittings shall be examined after final forming.
WB-2558 Elimination of Surface Defects
Surface defects shall be removed by grinding or ma-chining, provided the requirements of(a)through(c) be-low are met.
(a) The depression, after defect elimination, is blended uniformly into the surrounding surface.
(b) After defect elimination, the area is examined by the method which originally disclosed the defect to assure that the defect has been removed or reduced to an imper-fection of acceptable size.
(c) If the elimination of the defect reduces the thickness of the section below the minimum required to satisfy the rules ofArticle WB-3000, the product shall be repaired in accordance withWB-2559.
WB-2559 Repair by Welding
Repair of defects shall be in accordance withWB-2539, except repair by welding is not permitted on copper– nickel alloy and nickel alloy materials.
WB-2570 EXAMINATION AND REPAIR OF CAST