Technical Update - ASME and European Material Testing Requirements BVAA Technical Consultant Peter Churm reports...

A CEN Workshop on "EU - US Material Standards" was held on May 15th 2007 to discuss a report on the "Comparison between ASME Specifications and European Standards for Testing of Steel for Pressure Equipment." This had been prepared by Bernard Creton, Chairman of ECISS/TC1 "Steel - Mechanical testing" and Chairman of ISO/TC164/SC1 "Mechanical testing of metals - Uniaxial testing."

The aims of the project started in 2004, being the investigation into the possible mutual acceptance of materials to ASME specifications and European standards for use in steel pressure equipment, reducing the burden of redundant material testing requirements, welding qualifications and procedures and approval of non-destructive testing personnel.

The report listed the properties specified in European Standards and ASME specifications for steel products for pressure equipment in the form of hot-rolled flat and long products, forgings, castings and tubes and the corresponding tests.

It also listed the European Standards and ASMEspecifications corresponding to mechanical testing and pointed out the technical differences between these testing specifications and discussed the possible influence of these differences on the test results.

The report identified the similarities and differences between ASME, CEN and ISO standards and the workshop examined the possible merging with, or adoption of, ASME or CEN or ISO standards to achieve an acceptable, safe and economic solution.

Wide discussion on the report’s findings and areas of commonality and divergence were investigated and problem areas for the possible merging of standards were identified and challenged. It was agreed that CEN should recognise the report and allocate a number to it, to use the report to propose consideration into its findings by ASME and ISO and to further develop the report to include comparisons of material properties.

This certainly seems to be a very pragmatic approach and one which BVAA will generally support, however we suspect it will take many years to bear fruit.

Published: 25th September 2009