Standard Specification for Electric-Fusion-Welded Steel Pipe for Atmospheric and Lower Temperatures¹

1. Scope*

1.1 This specification² covers electric-fusion-welded steel pipe with filler metal added, fabricated from pressure vessel quality plate of several analyses and strength levels and suitable for high-pressure service at atmospheric and lower temperatures. Heat treatment may or may not be required to attain the desired properties or to comply with applicable code requirements. Supplementary requirements are provided for use when additional testing or examination is desired.

1.2 The specification nominally covers pipe 16 in. [400 mm] in outside diameter or larger and of ¼ in. [6 mm] wall thickness or greater. Pipe having other dimensions may be furnished provided it complies with all other requirements of this specification.

1.3 Several grades and classes of pipe are provided:

1.3.1 Grade designates the type of plate used as listed in 5.1.

1.3.2 Class designates the type of heat treatment performed during manufacture of the pipe, whether the weld is radiographically examined, and whether the pipe has been pressure tested as listed in 1.3.3.

1.3.3 Class designations are as follows (Note 1):

Note 1—Selection of materials should be made with attention to temperature of service. For such guidance, Specification A20/A20M may be consulted.

1.4 The values stated in either SI units or inch-pound units are to be regarded separately as standard. Within the text, the SI units are shown in brackets. The values stated in each system may not be exact equivalents; therefore, each system shall be used independently of the other. Combining values from the two systems may result in non-conformance with the standard. The inch-pound units shall apply unless the "M" designation of this specification is specified in the order.

1.5 This international standard was developed in accordance with internationally recognized principles on standardization established in the Decision on Principles for the Development of International Standards, Guides and Recommendations issued by the World Trade Organization Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) Committee.

2. Referenced Documents

2.1 ASTM Standards:³

• A20/A20M Specification for General Requirements for Steel Plates for Pressure Vessels
• A370 Test Methods and Definitions for Mechanical Testing of Steel Products
• A435/A435M Specification for Straight-Beam Ultrasonic Examination of Steel Plates
• A530/A530M Specification for General Requirements for Specialized Carbon and Alloy Steel Pipe
• A577/A577M Specification for Ultrasonic Angle-Beam Examination of Steel Plates
• A578/A578M Specification for Straight-Beam Ultrasonic Examination of Rolled Steel Plates for Special Applications
• E110 Test Method for Rockwell and Brinell Hardness of Metallic Materials by Portable Hardness Testers
• E165/E165M Practice for Liquid Penetrant Testing for General Industry
• E709 Guide for Magnetic Particle Testing

2.2 Plate Steels:

• A203/A203M Specification for Pressure Vessel Plates, Alloy Steel, Nickel
• A285/A285M Specification for Pressure Vessel Plates, Carbon Steel, Low- and Intermediate-Tensile Strength
• A299/A299M Specification for Pressure Vessel Plates, Carbon Steel, Manganese-Silicon
• A353/A353M Specification for Pressure Vessel Plates, Alloy Steel, Double-Normalized and Tempered 9 % Nickel
• A515/A515M Specification for Pressure Vessel Plates, Carbon Steel, for Intermediate- and Higher-Temperature Service
• A516/A516M Specification for Pressure Vessel Plates, Carbon Steel, for Moderate- and Lower-Temperature Service
• A517/A517M Specification for Pressure Vessel Plates, Alloy Steel, High-Strength, Quenched and Tempered
• A537/A537M Specification for Pressure Vessel Plates, Heat Treated, Carbon-Manganese-Silicon Steel
• A553/A553M Specification for Pressure Vessel Plates, Alloy Steel, Quenched and Tempered 7, 8, and 9% Nickel
• A736/A736M Specification for Pressure Vessel Plates, Low Carbon Age-Hardening Nickel-Copper-Chromium-Molybdenum-Columbium (Niobium) Alloy Steel

2.3 ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code:⁴

• Section II
• Section III
• Section VIII
• Section IX

3. Terminology

3.1 Definitions of Terms Specific to This Standard:

3.1.1 lot—a lot shall consist of 200 ft [60 m] or fraction thereof of pipe from the same heat of steel.

4. Ordering Information

4.1 The inquiry and order for material under this specification should include the following information:

• 4.1.1 Quantity (feet, metres, or number of lengths),
• 4.1.2 Name of material (steel pipe, electric-fusion-welded),
• 4.1.3 Specification number,
• 4.1.4 Grade and class designations (see 1.3),
• 4.1.5 Size (inside or outside diameter, nominal or minimum wall thickness),
• 4.1.6 Length (specific or random),
• 4.1.7 End finish (11.4),
• 4.1.8 Purchase options, if any (see 5.2.3 and 11.3 of this specification. See also Specification A530/A530M),
• 4.1.9 Supplementary requirements, if any.

5. Materials and Manufacture

5.1 Materials—The steel plate material shall conform to the requirement of the applicable plate specification for the pipe grade ordered as listed in Table 1.

5.2 Welding:

5.2.1 The joints shall be double-welded, full-penetration welds made in accordance with procedures and by welders or welding operators qualified in accordance with the ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code, Section IX.

5.2.2 The welds shall be made either manually or automatically by an electric process involving the deposition of filler metal.

5.2.3 As welded, the welded joint shall have positive reinforcement at the center of each side of the weld, but no more than 1/8 in. [3 mm]. This reinforcement may be removed at the manufacturer's option or by agreement between the manufacturer and purchaser. The contour of the reinforcement shall be smooth and the deposited metal shall be fused smoothly and uniformly into the plate surface.

5.3 Heat Treatment

All classes other than 10, 11, 12, and 13 shall be heat treated in furnace controlled to ±25°F [±15 °C] and equipped with a recording pyrometer so that heating records are available. Heat treating after forming and welding shall be to one of the following:

5.3.1 Classes 20, 21, 22, and 23 pipe shall be uniformly heated within the post-weld heat-treatment temperature range indicated in Table 2 for a minimum of 1 h/in. [0.4 h/cm] of thickness or for 1 h, whichever is greater.

5.3.2 Classes 30, 31, 32, and 33 pipe shall be uniformly heated to a temperature in the austenitizing range and not exceeding the maximum normalizing temperature indicated in Table 2 and subsequently cooled in air at room temperature.

5.3.3 Classes 40, 41, 42, and 43 pipe shall be normalized in accordance with 5.3.2. After normalizing, the pipe shall be reheated to the tempering temperature indicated in Table 2 as a minimum and held at temperature for a minimum of ½ h/in. [0.2 h/cm] of thickness or for ½ h, whichever is greater, and air cooled.

5.3.4 Classes 50, 51, 52, and 53 pipe shall be uniformly heated to a temperature in the austenitizing range, and not exceeding the maximum quenching temperature indicated in Table 2 and subsequently quenched in water or oil. After quenching, the pipe shall be reheated to the tempering temperature indicated in Table 2 as a minimum and held at that temperature for a minimum of ½ h/in. [0.2 h/cm] of thickness or for ½ h, whichever is greater, and air cooled.

5.3.5 Classes 70, 71, 72, and 73 pipe shall be uniformly heated to a temperature in the austenitizing range, not exceeding the maximum quenching temperature indicated in Table 2, and subsequently quenched in water or oil. After quenching the pipe shall be reheated into the precipitation heat treating range indicated in Table 2 for a time to be determined by the manufacturer.

6. General Requirements for Delivery

6.1 Material furnished to this specification shall conform to the applicable requirements of the current edition of Specification A530/A530M unless otherwise provided herein.

7. Chemical Composition

7.1 Product Analysis of Plate—The pipe manufacturer shall make an analysis of each mill heat of plate material. The product analysis so determined shall meet the requirements of the plate specification to which the material was ordered.

7.2 Product Analyses of Weld—The pipe manufacturer shall make an analysis of finished deposited weld material from each 200 ft [60 m] or fraction thereof. Analyses shall conform to the welding procedure for deposited weld metal.

7.3 Analysis may be taken from the mechanical test specimens. The results of the analyses shall be reported to the purchaser.

8. Mechanical Requirements

8.1 Tension Test:

8.1.1 All welded pipe manufactured to this specification must have a cross weld tensile test after final heat treatment, and the results must match the base material requirements for ultimate tensile strength of the specified plate material. Additionally, grades CD XX and CJ XXX, when these are of Class 3x, 4x, or 5x, and Grade CP of 6x and 7x shall have a transverse base metal tensile test performed on specimens cut from finished pipe. The results of these tests shall meet the minimum mechanical test requirements of the plate specification.

8.1.2 Number of Tests—One test specimen of weld metal and one specimen of base metal, if required by 8.1.1, shall be made and tested to represent each lot of finished pipe.

8.1.3 Test Specimen Location and Orientation—The test specimens shall be taken transverse to the weld at the end of the finished pipe and may be flattened cold before final machining to size.

8.1.4 Test Method—The test specimen shall be made in accordance with QW-150 in Section IX of the ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code. The test specimen shall be tested at room temperature in accordance with Test Methods and Definitions A370.

8.2 Transverse Guided Weld Bend Test:

8.2.1 Requirements—The bend test shall be acceptable if no cracks or other defects exceeding 1/8 in. [3 mm] in any direction are present in the weld metal or between the weld and the base metal after bending. Cracks that originate along the edges of the specimen during testing, and that are less than 1/4 in. [6 mm] measured in any direction shall not be considered.

8.2.2 Number of Tests—One test (two specimens) shall be made to represent each lot of finished pipe.

8.2.3 Test Specimen Location and Orientation—Two bend test specimens shall be taken transverse to the weld at the end of the finished pipe. As an alternative, by agreement between the purchaser and the manufacturer, the test specimens may be taken from a test plate of the same material as the pipe, the test plate being attached to the end of the cylinder and welded as a prolongation of the pipe longitudinal seam.

8.2.4 Test Method—The test requirements of A370, A2.5.1.7 shall be met. For wall thicknesses over 3/8 in. [10 mm] but less than 3/4 in. [19 mm] side-bend tests may be made instead of the face and root-bend tests. For wall thicknesses 3/4 in. [19 mm] and over both specimens shall be subjected to the side-bend test.

8.3 Pressure Test

Classes X2 and X3 pipe shall be tested in accordance with Specification A530/A530M, Hydrostatic Test Requirements.

9. Radiographic Examination

9.1 The full length of each weld of Classes X1 and X2 shall be radiographically examined in accordance with and meet the requirements of ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code, Section VIII, Paragraph UW-51.

9.2 Radiographic examination may be performed prior to heat treatment.

10. Rework

10.1 Elimination of Surface Imperfections

Unacceptable surface imperfections shall be removed by grinding or machining. The remaining thickness of the section shall be no less than the minimum specified in Section 11. The depression after grinding or machining shall be blended uniformly into the surrounding surface.

10.2 Repair of Base Metal Defects by Welding:

10.2.1 The manufacturer may repair, by welding, base metal where defects have been removed, provided the depth of the repair cavity as prepared for welding does not exceed 1/3 of the nominal thickness and the requirements of 10.2.2, 10.2.3, 10.2.4, 10.2.5 and 10.2.6 are met. Base metal defects in excess of these may be repaired with prior approval of the customer.

10.2.2 The defect shall be removed by suitable mechanical or thermal cutting or gouging methods and the cavity prepared for repair welding.

10.2.3 The welding procedure and welders or welding operators are to be qualified in accordance with Section IX of the ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code.

10.2.4 The full length of the repaired pipe shall be heat treated after repair in accordance with the requirements of the pipe class specified.

10.2.5 Each repair weld of a defect where the cavity, prepared for welding, has a depth exceeding the lesser of 3/8 in. [10 mm] or 10% of the nominal thickness shall be examined by radiography in accordance with the methods and the acceptance standards of Section 9.

10.2.6 The repair surface shall be blended uniformly into the surrounding base metal surface and examined and accepted in accordance with Supplementary Requirements S6 or S8.

10.3 Repair of Weld Metal Defects by Welding:

10.3.1 The manufacturer may repair weld metal defects if he meets the requirements of 10.2.3, 10.2.4, 10.3.2, 10.3.3 and 10.4.

10.3.2 The defect shall be removed by suitable mechanical or thermal cutting or gouging methods and the repair cavity examined and accepted in accordance with Supplementary Requirements S7 or S9.

10.3.3 The weld repair shall be blended uniformly into the surrounding metal surfaces and examined and accepted in accordance with 9.1 and with Supplementary Requirements S7 or S9.

10.4 Retest

Each length of repaired pipe of a class requiring a pressure test shall be hydrostatically tested following repair.

11. Dimensions, Mass and Permissible Variations

11.1 The wall thickness and weight for welded pipe furnished to this specification shall be governed by the requirements of the specification to which the manufacturer ordered the plate.

11.2 Permissible variations in dimensions at any point in a length of pipe shall not exceed the following:

• 11.2.1 Outside Diameter-Based on circumferential measurement ±0.5% of the specified outside diameter
• 11.2.2 Out-of-Roundness-Difference between major and minor outside diameters, 1 %.
• 11.2.3 Alignment-Using a 10-ft [3-m] straight edge placed so that both ends are in contact with the pipe, 1/8 in. [3 mm].
• 11.2.4 Thickness-The minimum wall thickness at any point in the pipe shall not be more than 0.01 in. [0.3 mm] under the specified nominal thickness

11.3 Circumferential welded joints of the same quality as the longitudinal joints shall be permitted by agreement between the manufacturer and the purchaser.

11.4 Lengths with unmachined ends shall be within -0, +1/2 in. [-0, +13 mm] of that specified. Lengths with machined ends shall be as agreed between the manufacturer and the purchaser.

12. Workmanship, Finish, and Appearance

12.1 The finished pipe shall be free of injurious defects and shall have a workmanlike finish. This requirement is to mean the same as the identical requirement that appears in Specification A20/A20M with respect to steel plate surface finish.

13. Product Marking

13.1 In addition to the marking provision of Specification A530/A530M, class marking in accordance with 1.3.3 shall follow the grade marking, for example, CC 70-10.

13.2 Bar Coding-In addition to the requirements in 13.1, bar coding is acceptable as a supplemental identification method. The purchaser may specify in the order a specific bar coding system to be used.

SUMMARY OF CHANGES

Committee A01 has identified the location of selected changes to this standard since the last issue, A671/A671M - 19, that may impact the use of this standard. (Approved March 1, 2020.)

• (1) Added clarification of tensile requirements in 8.1.1 for all grades and classes listed.

Committee A01 has identified the location of selected changes to this standard since the last issue, A671/A671M - 16a, that may impact the use of this standard. (Approved Nov. 1, 2019.)

• (1) Added Supplementary Requirement S15 for ASME Section III Construction.