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Pressure Vessel Certification
Pressure Vessel Certification
The Pressure Vessel Certification article provides you with information about the ASME
stamp holder process for manufacturers and third party inspection companies.
Do you what the pressure vessel certification process is? Do you know how pressure vessel
manufacturers can be ASME stamp holders?
How Third Party inspection companies can be certified by ASME and be Authorized
Inspection Agencies? What is a “U” stamped pressure vessel?
This article describes all the required information regarding pressure vessel certification and
regulation.
You may know pressure vessel manufacturer certification is the same as authorization for an
ASME Stamp.
The pressure vessel manufacturers can implement an ASME Quality Control System and
then apply for the ASME Stamp.
This means that if a manufacturer is accredited by the ASME organization for pressure
vessels per ASME Code Section VIII Div. 1, they can stamp the letter “U” in the pressure
vessel nameplate.
See the following Fig. for Pressure Vessel Certification (The Stamp Item)
These inspectors are named authorized inspectors and hold commission cards issued by
NBIC organization.
Summary: AIAs are accredited by ASME, but these inspectors are certified by NBIC.
5. Describe a QC-System according to the ASME code quality control manual and have the
procedures prepared by the manufacturer.
Quality control procedures and personnel also need to be approved by the manufacturer.
It takes almost 4 months to fulfill the above requirements. Then an audit needs to be
conducted by a supervisor authorized inspector, which is designated by an authorized
inspection agency, which is under contract with the manufacture.
This auditor would report non-conformities found in the audit process, and then the
manufacturer would have some time to correct them.
Finally, the audit would be conducted by an ASME designated person, supervisor authorized
Inspector and authorized inspector.
If the result of Audit was satisfactory, the certificate would be issued by ASME and then
manufacture would be authorized to stamp name plate with “U” Stamp.
What is the Quality Control System that Needs to be Implemented in Pressure Vessel
Certification?
For U the stamp, the quality control system needs to be based on ASME section VIII Div. 1
Appendix 10.
What is the Benefit for a Pressure Vessel Purchaser to Order a Stamped Pressure
Vessel?
When a purchaser orders stamped pressure vessel from a stamp holder manufacturer, it is
not necessary to hire a third party inspector.
Another benefit can be the purchaser's assurance of the quality of the pressure vessel,
because of the manufacturers responsibility to the ASME organization.
At the same time, ordering a stamped pressure vessel would be more expensive than a non-
stamped pressure vessel.