CASTI Guidebook to ASME Section IX

Welding Qualifications (Fourth Edition)

Downloadable E-book:
4.5 MB (Adobe PDF file)
 Price: $150 USD or $165 CAD
Edition: Fourth Edition: printed January 2005
Author: Michael J. Houle, Richard D. McGuire
ISBN:1-894038-80-0

The new Fourth Edition of the CASTI Guidebook to ASME Section IX - Welding Qualifications covers the 2004 edition of the Section IX Code. It reflects some very important changes to the Section IX Code due to significant changes in the Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code. The 2004 edition of Section IX has more than 200 variables, many with multiple conditions, for 13 welding processes and special processes. This guide has been prepared to help the Code user understand many of these complex conditions and variables.

The ASME Boiler & Pressure Vessel Code, Section IX can be a difficult document to comprehend. This CASTI Guidebook has been prepared for those Code users who need to better understand ASME Section IX. It is filled with practical examples, used to explain ASME Section IX Code rules so that Code users can walk their way through welding procedure qualification requirements. It also contains the finer details of welding procedure specifications to provide clarity, even to the experienced code user. This CASTI Guidebook goes far beyond the literary words of the Code by explaining specific Code paragraphs and related ASME Code Interpretations to provide guidance where a close study of the Code, on its own, may not produce a clear conclusion.

It is written by long serving ASME Section IX code committee members, Michael Houle and Richard McGuire, who have over sixty years of combined experience with ASME Section IX.

This publication is only available in a downloadable Adobe Acrobat PDF E-book.

Table of Contents ASME Code Secrets Revealed! Amazing 3D Graphics Interpretations Explained About the Authors

Table of Contents

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ASME Code Secrets Revealed! Detailed Step-by-Step Explanations

This CASTI Guidebook has been prepared to help the Code user understand the many variables, multiple conditions, for welding processes and special processes of the ASME Section IX Code. The Code user can better understand the tremendous amount of information contained in the ASME Section IX Code, using the easy-to-follow step-by-step explanation provided in this Guidebook. For example, Chapter 8 of this Guidebook explains 15 Code requirements in a step by step manner, to help guide the Code user during preparation of procedure qualification (PQR) test coupons, preparation of test specimens from the test coupon, and during the weld testing of the specimens.

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Amazing 3D Graphics

This CASTI Guidebook uses impressive 3D graphics to support paragraphs of the ASME Code. For example, the figure shows a backing gas contained by a water soluble paper dam, which supports the QW-408.8 paragraph.

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Interpretations Explained

This CASTI Guidebook helps relate Code Interpretations to the content of the ASME Code. It is put in clearly explained context for the first time! The following example paragraph is an excerpt from this Guidebook:

"Minimum Base Metal Thickness QW-403.6 is a supplementary essential variable that requires that the base metal thickness Tb for fabrication or repair welding be limited to 5/8 inch (16 mm) minimum, for PQR test coupons (Tc) 5/8 inch (16 mm) thick and thicker. For PQR test coupons (Tc) thickness less than 5/8 inch (16 mm), the thickness of the PQR test coupon (Tc) is the minimum thickness qualified. For PQR test coupons (Tc) less than 1/4 inch (6 mm), the minimum thickness qualified is half (1/2) the PQR test coupon thickness (Tc). QW-403.6 covers the base metal thickness, but does not affect the minimum thickness of the weld (td). [Interpretations IX-80-04, Volume 7, IX-89-86 and IX-89-96 verify some of these points. As an aside, Interpretations IX-89-86 and IX-89-96 have identical inquiries and replies. This happens when similar inquiries are presented at consecutive Subcommittee IX meetings, as in this case. The Subcommittee IX members actually passed a similar inquiry as had been approved at the previous meeting.]
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About the Author

  Michael J. Houle (1935-2005)

Michael J. Houle earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering in 1957 from Michigan Technological University. He had more than 40 years of industrial experience in the field of welding with extensive involvement in the development of quality, training, fabrication, and repair programs. Mr. Houle had eight years of regulatory experience as Director of Welding for the National Board of Boiler and Pressure Vessel Inspectors with duties which included reviewing applicants for ASME and National Board Certification, training of Authorized Inspectors, and investigation of companies and products.

Mr. Houle organized Welding Engineering Services in 1987 and quickly established a wide range of clients in the power, petrochemical, paper, manufacturing, repair and insurance industries throughout the world. He also developed and presented seminars on AWS, ASME, API, NBIC, and R Stamp Repair codes and standards, as well as other welding topics. He developed quality programs, welding procedures, repair plans, welder's performance qualifications, enabling procedures for quality systems, and participated in litigation involving welding codes and standards.

Mr. Houle was a very active member of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) Welding Subcommittee IX, ASME Subgroup on Qualifications (IX), ASME Pressure Vessel Subcommittee VIII, ASME Subgroup on Fabrication and Inspection (VIII), Welding Research Council (WRC) Welding Procedure Committee, several American Welding Society (AWS) committees and was a former United States Delegate to the International Institute of Welding (IIW) Commission XI on Pressure Vessels & Piping.

  Richard D. McGuire (Author and Manager of Training)

Mr. McGuire has 22 years of experience in welding engineering, NDT, quality control, and training management. Since 1987, he has served as Manager of Training for the National Board, responsible for all National Board training and programs.

Mr. McGuire's professional associations include membership in the American Society for Nondestructive Testing (ASNT), American Welding Society (AWS), ASM International and American Society for Training and Development (ASTD). He serves on several ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code committees including Section IX and AWS committees. Mr. McGuire earned a degree in welding engineering from California Polytechnic State University at San Luis Obispo.

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