ASME SECTION VIII, DIVISION 3 INTERPRETATIONS

NOTE: THESE INTERPRETATIONS ARE FOR ASME COMMITTEE USE ONLY. THEY ARE NOT TO BE DUPLICATED OR USED FOR OTHER THAN ASME COMMITTEE BUSINESS. WARNING: THERE ARE PROBABLY SOME TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS IN THIS DOCUMENT. PLEASE REVIEW THE ACTUAL INTERPRETATION FOR THE EXACT WORDING. TO GET A PRINTED COPY OF AN INTERPRETATION, FIRST HIGHLIGHT THE PORTION DESIRED, THEN GOTO File ON THE TOOLBAR, THEN Print... , THEN HIGHLIGHT THE DOT AT THE (Selection BUTTON, FINALLY PRESS THE OK BUTTON. BE CAREFUL NOT TO PRINT THE ENTIRE DOCUMENT (1 Page).

Interpretation: VIII-3-98-01 Subject: Section VIII, Division 3 (1997 Edition); KG-420 and KG-322 Date Issued: March 18, 1998 File: BC98-116 Question: Does a material manufacturer or material supplier need to have a U3 Certificate of Authorization in order to supply material for high pressure vessels which are to be built in accordance with Section VIII, Division 3? Reply: No.

Interpretation: VIII-3-01-01 Subject: KD-621, Requirements for a Minimum of 1.5 Diameters of Length on Studs Date Issued: July 10, 2000 File: BC98-443 Question: Is it the intent to permit studs with a thread length less than 1.5 times the nominal diameter, provided that analysis using the most unfavorable combination of tolerances at assembly shows adequate thread engagement is achieved with the shorter thread length, and that the requirements of KD-612 through KD-616 are satisfied? Reply: Yes.

Interpretation: VIII-3-01-02 Subject: KD-922 (1998 Edition, 1999 Addenda) Date Issued: March 6, 2000 File: BC99-443 Question: Is it the intent of the first sentence of KD-922 in Section VIII, Division 3, that under design conditions, the average stress intensity over the cross-section of each individual wire at

any given point in the winding shall not exceed the local primary membrane stress limit, PL, given in Fig. KD-230? Reply: Yes.

Interpretation: VIII-3-01-03 Subject: KD-104 (1998 Edition, 1999 Addenda) Date Issued: March 6, 2000 File: BC99-458 Question: Is it the intent of KD-104 in Section VIII, Division 3, to permit more than one prestressed inner layer? Reply: Yes.

Interpretation: VIII-3-01-04 Subject: KD-615 (1997 Edition, 1999 Addenda) Date Issued: June 13, 2000 File: BC00-087 Question: Do the thread engagement length requirements of KD-615 in Section VIII, Division 3 include the case of nuts with tapped or rolled threads? Reply: No. Interpretation: VIII-3-01-05 Subject: KD-430(a) (1997 Edition, 1999 Addenda) Date Issued: June 13, 2000 File: BC00-244 Question: Does complying with the requirements of KD-430(a) in Section VIII, Division 3, specifically the sentence The values of C and m to be used for some materials are given in Table KD-430 for the case of f(Rk) = 1, require a designer to provide values for C and m for those materials accepted for use by Division 3, but not listed in Table KD-430? Reply: Yes.

Interpretation: VIII-3-01-06 Subject: References to Edition and Addenda Date Issued: June 26, 2001 File: BC01=570 Question (1): The 1998 Code Edition, as published, incorporates the 1998 Addenda. When providing reference to this Code Edition and Addenda within a Code-required document, may only the Edition be listed (i.e., 1998 Edition)? Reply (1): Yes.

Question (2): For the 1998 Edition only, is it necessary to revise Code-required documentation where the term 1998 Edition was used as meaning the 1995 Edition through the 1997 Addenda? Reply (2): No.

Interpretation: VIII-3-04-01 Subject: Section VIII, Division 3; KG-110 - Valve Parts in Vessel Heads or Shells Date Issued: April 4, 2004 File: BC04-307 Question: Are valve parts internal to or embedded in heads or shells of vessels considered to be outside the scope of the Division? Reply: Yes, see KG-115.

Interpretation: VIII-3-04-02 Subject: Date Issued: File: Section VIII, Division 3 (2001 Edition, 2003 Addenda); Use of EN-473 for Certification of NDE Examiners November 18, 2005 BC04-626

Question: May a Manufacturer apply the knowledge, testing and skills demonstrations performed under the auspices of EN-473 for certification of NDE examiners in fabricating pressure vessels to ASME Code Section VIII, Divisions 1, 2 and 3? Reply: Yes, provided that: (a) the Manufacturer has a written practice describing the use of EN-473 knowledge examinations and skills demonstrations to meet the guidelines of SNT-TC-1A (current Code accepted edition) (b) the training, experience, and demonstration requirements of the written practice meet the guidelines of SNT-TC-1A (c) the Manufacturer retains written certification of NDE personnel to be compliant with the guidelines of SNT-TC-1A

Interpretation: VIII-3-07-01 Subject: Section VIII, Division 3 (2004 Edition, 2005 Addenda); KS-132, Size and Arrangements of Characters Date Issued: July 27, 2006 File: BC05-460 Question: May the supporting text, shown in Fig. KS-132 and Fig. KS-132M, be stamped, etched or engraved with characters smaller than the other nameplate information but not less than 1/8 in. (3.2 mm)? Reply: Yes.

Section VIII-3 Interpretations Vol. 58 (July 1, 2007 December 31, 2007)

Interpretation: VIII-3-07-02 Subject: Section VIII, Division 3 (2004 Edition, 2006 Addenda); Article KT-2 & KF-215 Date Issued: File: July 5, 2007 07-674

Question (1): Are production test coupons required for Category C & D weld joints to comply with ASME Section VIII, Division 3 Article KT-2? Reply (1): Yes.

Question (2): Does the qualification of Welders and Welding Operators in accordance with KF-215 & Article KT-2 of ASME Section VIII, Division 3 require Impact Test? Reply (2): Yes.

Interpretation: VIII-3-07-03 Subject: Section VIII Division 3 (2004 Edition 2006 Addenda) Part KE-105(a) Nondestructive Examination Procedures Date Issued: File: October 10, 2007 07-1277

Question: Is it required that demonstration of NDE to an Authorized Inspector (for materials) required by Division 3 in accordance with detailed written procedures be performed by the Materials Manufacturer? Reply: No.

Volume 59 Starts Here Interpretation: VIII-3-07-04 Subject: KG-120 Date Issued: February 15, 2008 File: 07-1263 Question: Paragraph KG-120 provides the definition of classes of vessels not considered to be within the scope of Section VIII, Division 3. Is it required to apply the ASME Code symbol [U-3] to equipment that is not listed in the scope exemptions or only partially satisfies the provisions of KG-120 for a specific item? Reply: See KG-103. The Code does not mandate the application of the ASME Code symbol for any piece of equipment. The laws or regulations issued by the municipality, state, provincial, federal, or other enforcement or regulatory bodies having jurisdiction at the location of an installation establish the mandatory applicability of the Code rules, in whole or in part, within their jurisdiction. Those laws or regulations may require the use of this Division of the Code for vessels or components not considered to be within its Scope. Note: This interpretation also appears as VIII-1-07-43 and VIII-2-07-07.

Volume 61 (1-1-2011) Starts Here

Interpretation: VIII-3-10-01 Subject: Section VIII, Division 1, Appendix 10; Division 2, Annex 2.E; Division 3, Mandatory Appendix 2: Records Retention Date Issued: January 11, 2010 File: 08-1207 Question: Is it required by the rules of ASME Section VIII, Division 1, Appendix 10, para. 10-13, or ASME Section VIII, Division 2, Part 2, Annex 2.E, para. 2.E.13, or ASME Section VIII, Division 3, Mandatory Appendix 2, para. 2-121 that records as required by the aforementioned sections be maintained in a paper form? Reply: Note: No. This interpretation also appears as VIII-1-10-13 and VIII-2-10-02

Interpretation: VIII-3-1002 Subject: Section VIII, Division 3, 2007 Edition, 2009 Addenda, Code Case 2564-1, Impulsively Loaded Pressure Vessels Date Issued: September 1, 201 0 File: 10-864 Question: May strain-rate dependent constitutive material models (strain-rate dependent true stress-true strain curves) be applied to the design and analyses described in para. 3.1 of Code Case 2564-1? Reply: Yes.

Volume 62 (7-1-2012) Starts Here Interpretation: VIII-3-10-03 Subject: KM-211.2 (2010 Edition, 2011 Addenda) Date Issued: August 10, 2011 File No.: 11-830 Question: Is it permissible for material removed from a forging after final heat treatment to be considered as an acceptable prolongation of the forging per KM-211.2, provided that the datum points of the test specimens comply with the depth requirements of KM-211.2? Reply: Yes.

Interpretation: VIII-3-10-04 Subject: KM-211.2(d), Test Forging (2010 Edition) Date Issued: September 12, 2011 File No.: 11-1251

Question: When the provisions of KM-211.2(d) are used, may a single test forging be used to represent more than one production forging, if all of the other requirements of KM-211.2(d) are met? Reply: Yes.