THE COMPLETE GUIDE TO

MSS SP-58

A Complete Guide to MSS SP-58 1

 Contents

Introduction 3

Chapter 1: What Is MSS SP-58? 4

Chapter 2: Why Manufacturers Need High Standards 7

Chapter 3: What Does MSS SP-58 Cover? 11

Chapter 4: Important MSS SP-58 Guidance 15

Final Thoughts on MSS SP-58 20

A Complete Guide to MSS SP-58 2

 Introduction
How important are pipe support manufacturing standards
to your company? They should be considered critical. One
pipe support failure could cost millions, ruin a company’s
reputation, cause injuries, or even result in deaths.

That’s why the Manufacturers Standardization Society’s Standard Practices

guidance, or MSS SP-58, can be a literal lifesaver.

But before you acquire the full MSS SP-58 guidebook, it is important to
understand what these standards are all about and how they should fit your
piping system. In this guide, we’ll explain the purpose of MSS SP-58 and map
out how to use guidelines to extend the lifespan of your piping system.

A Complete Guide to MSS SP-58 3

 CHAPTER 1

What Is MSS SP-58?

If you aren’t a pipe manufacturing expert or pipe support

enthusiast, you may not have a firm grasp on MSS SP-58.
We’re here to help. Here’s a brief overview of what MSS SP-58
is and what makes it an industry standard.

THE BASICS OF MSS SP-58

This document covers a set of pipe support policies and goes by the full
name of ANSI/MSS SP-58. Essentially, MSS SP-58 lays out guidelines for pipe
hangers and supports. It is designed to help piping professionals ensure that
pipe supports are able to handle the weight of pipes, are installed correctly,
and will stay strong amid the heavy impact of piping systems. It’s also
important to note that MSS SP-58 is a companion document to the ASME B31
series of piping design documents.

Wondering what makes this policy an industry standard? One main reason is
that it is put out by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI).

A Complete Guide to MSS SP-58 4

 WHAT IS ANSI?
ANSI is a private, not-for-profit group
that sets standards to improve safety
and help U.S. businesses succeed. The
institution’s work spans industries and
provides guidance for roughly 30 million
people worldwide. In the industrial piping
world, the group is widely considered the
go-to entity for industry standards.

WHAT VERSION DO I USE?

If you’re searching for MSS SP-58
guidance, you may have already
come across multiple versions of the
document. It’s important to understand
that the 2018 version of MSS SP-58 is
substantially larger than the
2009 version.

Why?

Since the 2009 version was published,

ANSI built on to the document’s original
version, blending editions such as SP-69,
SP-77, SP-89, and SP-90 into a single, It’s important to understand
comprehensive document. That’s why, that the 2018 version of MSS
at the time of this publication, the most SP-58 is substantially larger
current version of this guidance is MSS
than the 2009 version.
SP-58:2018.

A Complete Guide to MSS SP-58 5

 WHY FOLLOW MSS SP-58 GUIDANCE?
Your pipe supports and hangers need to support heavy pipes and stay
strong in a wide range of environments. When they’re exposed to changing
temperatures, corrosive elements, or any other dangers, the risk of breaking
down increases. With MSS SP-58 guidance, you can install pipe supports,
choose proper materials, and avoid the disasters of improper support use.

Unfortunately, if your pipe supports or hangers are installed incorrectly or

if you don’t follow best practices, they can fail. When supports give way,
pipes carrying liquids can collapse, resulting in all kinds of devastating
consequences. Here are some consequences of not holding your pipe
supports to a high standard:

Leaks or ruptured pipes

Injuries and death

Halted production

Broad, long-term damage to your piping system

Long-term financial costs or more frequent repairs

MSS SP-58 guidelines can give you the peace of mind that comes with installing
industry-approved pipe supports. They lay out the basic standards you should
adopt if you want to keep piping systems running smoothly, as well as proven
ways to avoid long-term damage.

A Complete Guide to MSS SP-58 6

 CHAPTER 2

Why Manufacturers
Need High Standards

Wondering why MSS SP-58 matters? In order to get a grasp

on the need for high pipe manufacturing standards, it is
important to examine what piping systems are up against.

Higher standards, such as those laid out in MSS SP-58, help manufacturers
avoid the biggest threats facing piping systems. Here are some of the most
urgent threats you should be aware of.

A Complete Guide to MSS SP-58 7

 CORROSION
Corrosion may seem like a simple threat, but it can be devastating to
piping systems. According to the National Association of Corrosion
Engineers (NACE), corrosion has caused an estimated $2.5 trillion dollars
in global damage.

MSS SP-58 guidance helps direct manufacturers by providing ways to reduce

corrosion through proven best practices, such as adding protective coatings
and incorporating corrosion-resistant designs. Wondering why?

By layering metallic surfaces with galvanizing or other anti-corrosive coatings,

pipe manufacturers can keep corrosive materials from penetrating a
metal’s surface.

At the same time, by using better designs that reduce friction, manufacturers
can stop scrapes and holes from forming on metal surfaces. In turn, corrosive
materials don’t have the chance to creep into crevices and damage supports
or surrounding pipes.

A Complete Guide to MSS SP-58 8

 THERMAL EXPANSION
Temperature has a major effect on piping systems. In fact, the MSS SP-58
dedicates an entire section to maintaining supports in hot, moderate, and
cold systems.

In addition to needing to keep from melting, freezing, or breaking down in

extreme temperatures, pipe supports should be designed to account for
thermal expansion.

When heat is transferred across pipes, the pipes often move. This movement
can damage pipes if they rub against rough surfaces.

Luckily, you don’t have to sit back and watch your pipes break down.
Here are a few pipe supports that are designed to counter the effects of
thermal expansion:

Pipe shoes: Pipe shoes elevate piping and keep pipes from

1 scraping against destructive surfaces when they move. And

nonmetallic shoes, such as CryoTek and ProTek Composite
Shoes, add extra support by insulating pipes. Because they’re
nonmetallic, they stop heat and energy from jumping across
metal surfaces and reduce movement altogether.

Wear pads: Wear pads don’t stop thermal expansion, but they

2 prevent movement from damaging pipes. They fit to the outer

diameter of pipes, absorbing friction and protecting the pipe’s surface.

Pipe restraints: Pipe restraints control pipe movement and

3 guide pipes in the right direction. Many can encourage pipes

to move axially while cutting out the bouncing or side-to-side
movement that can damage pipes.

A Complete Guide to MSS SP-58 9

 FRICTION WEAR
In the piping world, friction wear hurts pipes on two fronts. First, abrasions
can give way to micro cracks. As metal wears down, pipes become more
susceptible to ruptures or leaks. Second, friction damage opens up the surface
of metal, allowing corrosive materials to seep in and spread.

METAL-ON-METAL DAMAGE
Metal-on-metal contact damages pipes in multiple ways. Metal is hard, and
when it scrapes against other metal without protection, it can wear down or
break. Worse yet, when you pair dissimilar metals in piping systems, it exposes
them to galvanic corrosion. This electrochemical reaction can destroy pipes
and cause ruptures.

HOW TO MINIMIZE STRESS IN YOUR PIPING SYSTEM

Reduce welding: Welding is handy when it is essential. But welded

spots tend to require extra care and can weaken your system. That’s
why it is a good idea to use supports that are installed via epoxy
systems, bolts, or other weldless methods whenever possible.

Match materials to your environment: Some environments are much

harder on metallic supports than others. For instance, experts have
found that salty, humid ocean air can corrode metal 10 times faster
than metals exposed to drier air. That’s why the materials your pipe
support are made of should be designed to keep pipes strong in your
environment.

Protect metals: You can reduce pipe stress by using pipe support that
includes friction-reducing coatings, galvanizing, and insulation. These
features keep the metal of pipes from scraping against surrounding
surfaces, corroding, and wearing down.

A Complete Guide to MSS SP-58 10

 CHAPTER 3

What Does
MSS SP-58 Cover?

MSS SP-58 policy stretches across more than 100 pages

and provides a range of guidance. But there are some key
categories that are especially crucial. Here’s a look at some of
the most important subjects these standards address.

TERMINOLOGY AND REFERENCES

In the piping world, any given piece of equipment can go by a number of
different names. MSS SP-58 helps define pipe support terms. The document is
filled with terminology, references, and pictures to help readers understand a
unified definition for equipment and pipe support uses.

A Complete Guide to MSS SP-58 11

 ALLOWABLE STRESSES
Pipe supports need to stay strong in the
face of rushing liquids, high pressure,
and heavy pipes. MSS SP-58 guidelines
help manufacturers determine allowable
stresses, which is the amount of stress
a support can take without buckling or
breaking.

MSS SP-58 allowable stress guidelines
will give you an idea of how much
weight and impact certain supports can
withstand. That means you can avoid
installing hangers or pipe supports that
will collapse under added pressure.

ALLOWABLE HEAT
Allowable heat is the amount of heat a
support or hanger can tolerate before
its performance begins to suffer. When
piping systems operate in high heat or
frigid cold, different materials will react in
different ways.

For instance, when you support metal Allowable heat is the

pipes with uninsulated metal pipe shoes amount of heat a support
in a cold system, it can lead to ice or hanger can tolerate
formation. As ice forms, it wears down
before its performance
pipes and causes damage.
begins to suffer.

A Complete Guide to MSS SP-58 12

 In other instances, you can reduce ice formation by using pre-insulated shoes
or nonmetallic shoes that stop heat from hopping into surrounding metals.

MSS SP-58 helps manufacturers understand what temperatures your supports

can reasonably be exposed to and what extremes to avoid.

PROTECTIVE COATINGS
The MSS SP-58 gives guidance on both metallic and nonmetallic protective
coatings. Coatings form a layer between pipe support surfaces and
destructive external forces. Ultimately, they should help you retain your pipe
support’s material integrity and keep surfaces from chipping, corroding, or
wearing down.

In many cases, nonmetallic surface protection, such as a jacket, liner, or

thermoplastic coating, can be used to separate surfaces. These additions are a
crucial line of defense against corrosive elements.

The MSS SP-58 guidelines explain how protective coatings should be applied
and list the best ways to use coatings to maintain strong supports.

ProTek Coating
The thermoplastic
coating holds up in all
U-Bolt environments and has
The robustly a low coefficient of
constructed U-bolt is friction to allow pipe
built to Grinnell figure movement.
137, comes standard as
hot dipped galvanized,
and is supplied with 4
heavy hex nuts.

A Complete Guide to MSS SP-58 13

 BEST PRACTICES AND TESTING STANDARDS
If you want to keep your piping system running smoothly over the long run,
it is important to test supports and stay alert to signs of corrosion. The MSS
SP-58 lays out clear instructions on how frequently and how thoroughly to test
specific parts of your piping system.

These standards are especially important in piping systems that require

welding. In many cases, welds are vulnerable points in your piping system.
Because they can be susceptible to extra dangers, such as chloride stress
corrosion, it is important to know how often you’ll need to test, heat treat,
and inspect welded areas.

The MSS SP-58 lays out clear instructions on how

frequently and how thoroughly to test specific parts
of your piping system.

A Complete Guide to MSS SP-58 14

 CHAPTER 4

Important MSS SP-58

Guidance

Before you pick up the official MSS SP-58 guidelines, there are
some areas to pay special attention to. These lesser-considered
subjects may seem minor, but they can be the difference
between a high-performing piping system and pipe failures.

HANDLING AND SHIPPING PROCEDURES

Shipping and handling pipe supports may seem like a pretty straightforward
procedure. After all, can’t you just throw them in a box and send them on their
way? Unfortunately, if pipe supports are not properly handled, they can be
damaged or weakened en route to a worksite.

A Complete Guide to MSS SP-58 15

 The result? In some cases, you may order
a product, install it, and unwittingly put
your entire piping system in danger. If a
support is damaged during shipping and
installers don’t notice, supports can fail
and destroy pipes.

With the MSS SP-58 guidelines,

manufacturers can get a grasp on how
to handle and package different types of
materials. Here are some areas where the
MSS SP-58 gives guidance:

• Bundling supports for shipping

• Storage best practices
• Packaging guidance
• Inspection procedures
• Labeling methods

FABRICATION MATERIALS
Simply put, materials matter in the
piping world. MSS SP-58 describes
what types of materials meet minimum
safety requirements, and it provides
In some cases, you may
best practices for working with specific
order a product, install it,
materials.
and unwittingly put your
Not sure how to pick out quality pipe entire piping system in
support materials? danger.

A Complete Guide to MSS SP-58 16

 Here’s a quick look at what to look for in a quality pipe support:

Corrosion resistance: Quality pipe supports won’t just include

noncorrosive materials or coatings; they’ll also stop corrosion from
forming throughout your whole piping system.

Strength: When it comes to pipe supports, there are many types

of strength. For instance, wear pads need to stay firm under
thousands of pounds of compressive weight. Other supports, such
as hanger rods, need to be able to move or pivot without snapping.
In all cases, your supports should be made of materials that
promote stronger performance.

Wear resistance: If your pipe supports aren’t designed to resist

wear, you’ll be left replacing them constantly. Worse yet, they could
fail unexpectedly and wreck your entire operation. Quality pipe
supports will keep metals from scraping against hard surfaces.
They’ll also be built to reduce damage from movement. For
instance, VibraTek hold down clamps are fitted with a vibration-
dampening liner. These proactive supports stop vibrating pipes
from pounding directly against metal.

A Complete Guide to MSS SP-58 17

 THERMAL TOLERANCE
Quality pipe supports won’t just hold up to extreme temperatures; they’ll also
protect pipes from erosion and heat transfer. Supports should keep energy
from escaping into surrounding pipes and reinforce pipes in the face of
extreme temperatures.

PIPE SUPPORT INSTALLATION

With so much going on during a piping project, it is easy to rush through
installation. Unfortunately, improper pipe support installation can spark
dire consequences. MSS SP-58 lays out guidelines to help you avoid poor
installation and protect against malfunctions. It can also provide guidance if
you need to re-install supports in your current system.

Wondering how to spot failing supports? Watch for these signs:

Sagging pipes: If you notice pipes are drooping or sagging, it could

be a sign that your supports are spaced too far apart. Sagging pipes
are dangerous because liquids can pool in depressed areas, leading
to corrosion, pressure buildups, or even collapse.

Growing noise: Rattling pipes may be a sign that pipe supports are
too loose or broken. As pipes hit surrounding surfaces, it can wear
them down and cause ruptures.

Discolored metal: If metal is discolored, it might be a sign of

corrosion. Corrosion is especially common when pipe supports
are installed without the proper insulation standing between
dissimilar metals.

A Complete Guide to MSS SP-58 18

 Dripping or liquid pools: If you notice pooling or dripping, your
supports may be causing leaks. A good place to start when you’re
examining pipes for leaks is at joints or in areas where pipe runs
change direction.

Strange odors: Odors can be a less visible sign of leaks. If

you smell gas, check pipe supports and examine how they’re
interacting with pipes.

By identifying shoddy pipe support installation right away, you can replace or
adjust supports before too much damage is done. For future jobs, MSS SP-58
instructions will go a long way in helping you install supports with confidence.

MSS SP-58 lays out guidelines to help you avoid poor

installation and protect against malfunctions.

A Complete Guide to MSS SP-58 19

 Final Thoughts
on MSS SP-58
MSS SP-58 will give your team a baseline for picking out,
installing, and using pipe supports. These standards will
set you up for a safer experience and can help keep your
piping system running longer.

Want to learn more about how pipe supports can

elevate the performance of your process piping system?
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Co-author: Willem Mast, CEO, WMD Squared