SECTION III DIVISIONS 1 AND 2

Subject

Interpretation

File No.

Division 1
Appendix N, Table N-1230-1; Damping Values (1998 Edition) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . III-1-04-27

NI03-025

Code Cases 2142-1 and 2143-1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . III-1-04-22

NI03-019

NB-2420 Required Tests. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . III-1-04-25

NI03-023

NB-2545 Magnetic Particle Examination (1989 Edition With the 1991 Addenda Through the
2004 Edition) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . III-1-04-20

BC04-1590

NB-3227 Special Stress Limits; NB-3337 Attachment of Nozzles and Other

Connections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . III-1-04-31

BC05-415

NB-4232.1 Fairing of Offsets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . III-1-04-24

NI03-022

NB-4334.2 Coupons Representing the Heat Affected Zone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . III-1-04-19

NI04-006

NB/NC/ND/NE/NH-3352 Permissible Types of Welded Joints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . III-1-04-32

BC05-416

NC-4510 Rules for Brazing (1974 Edition Through the Winter 1985 Addenda) . . . . . . . . . . . . . III-1-86-97R

NI04-009*

NC/ND-4000 Fabrication and Installation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . III-1-04-34

BC05-278

NCA-3800 Metallic Material Organizations Quality System Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . III-1-04-28

NI03-026

NCA-3800 Metallic Material Organizations Quality System Program; NCA-4000 Quality

Assurance. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . III-1-04-30

BC05-413

ND-3000 Design (1992 Edition). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . III-1-04-26

NI03-024

NE-5200 Required Examination of Welds. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . III-1-04-21

BC05-283

NF-1110(c) Aspects of Construction Covered by These Rules . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . III-1-04-23

NI03-021

NG-2542.1 Ultrasonic Examination of Rectangular Forgings and Bars. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . III-1-04-29

BC05-281

SA-358/SA-358M Pipe Welded With Filler Metal and Stamped NPT in Accordance
With ASME Section III, Division 1. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . III-1-04-09R
Table NB-3681(a)-1 and NB-3683.4 (1998 Edition Through the 2001 Edition Including the
2003 Addenda) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . III-1-04-33

NI03-007*,
BC01-787*
NI03-012,
BC03-1534

Division 2
CC-4331.2 Permitted Types of Splices and Joints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . III-2-04-01

NI04-005

Interpretation: III-1-86-97R
Subject: Section III, Division 1, NC-4510 Rules for Brazing (1974 Edition Through the Winter
1985 Addenda)
Date Issued: January 5, 2005
File: NI04-009*
Question: Is it permissible for a Manufacturer holding an ASME Code Stamp for pressure vessels to
fabricate a pressure vessel using Category A, B, C, and D brazed joints?
Reply: No.

Interpretation: III-1-04-09R
Subject: Section III, Division 1, SA-358/SA-358M Pipe Welded With Filler Metal and Stamped NPT in
Accordance With ASME Section III, Division 1
Date Issued: April 13, 2005
File: NI03-007*, BC01-787*
Question: Is the hydrostatic test required by the material specification SA-358/SA-358M, para. 14.3,
required to be witnessed by the Authorized Nuclear Inspector for pipe welded with filler metal requiring
to be NPT stamped and NM-1 data report?
Reply: No.

Interpretation: III-1-04-19
Subject: Section III, Division 1, NB-4334.2 Coupons Representing the Heat Affected Zone
Date Issued: January 7, 2005
File: NI04-006
Question: If a PQR being performed is a production mock-up and the forging is in a pipe form and the
weld is a girth weld, is it permissible to use the girth weld to qualify the HAZ impact properties in
accordance with NB-4334, even though the principal forging direction of the pipe is perpendicular to the
weld, which would result in impact specimens being oriented parallel to the principal forging direction of
the pipe?
Reply: Yes. The Code does not address the specimen orientation for this product form.

Interpretation: III-1-04-20
Subject: Section III, Division 1, NB-2545 Magnetic Particle Examination (1989 Edition With the
1991 Addenda Through the 2004 Edition)
Date Issued: January 25, 2005
File: BC04-1590
Question: Is it the intent of NB-2545.1 to restrict the acceptable techniques for magnetic particle examination of forgings required by NB-2545 to those procedures that only permit DC magnetizing current, when
the revisions of SA-275 adopted in Section II, Part A, which are required by some material specifications
for magnetic particle examination, specifically preclude the use of AC magnetizing current in the
1991 Addenda to the 1989 Edition up to and including the 2004 Edition of the Code?
Reply: No. The intent of NB-2545.1 is to permit any of the techniques permitted by Section V, Article 7,
to be used for magnetic particle examination procedures for forgings, including the alternating current yoke
technique. Forgings produced in accordance with the 1991 Addenda to the 1989 Edition up to and including
the 2004 Edition shall be considered to comply with Section III Code requirements, provided the procedure
used to perform the magnetic particle examination was in accordance with the methods of Article 7 of
Section V. NB-2545 is being revised to clarify the procedure requirements for magnetic particle examinations
of forgings.

Interpretation: III-1-04-21
Subject: Section III, Division 1, NE-5200 Required Examination of Welds
Date Issued: April 7, 2005
File: BC05-283
Question (1): Should the term weld used in NE-5200 be the definition listed in Section IX, QW/QB-492?
Reply (1): Yes.
Question (2): A radiographic indication is determined to be located in base material. Does the acceptance
criteria for base material in NE-2500 apply to evaluation of the indication?
Reply (2): Yes.

Interpretation: III-1-04-22
Subject: Section III, Division 1, Code Cases 2142-1 and 2143-1
Date Issued: April 13, 2005
File: NI03-019
Question: Is it necessary to list Code Cases 2142-1 and 2143-1 in a Procurement Specification and the
ASME Code Design Specification in order to use Alloy 690 weld filler material (UNS N06052 and
UNS W86152) in the fabrication of a Section III, Class 1 component if the 1989Edition of Section II and
Section III and the latest Edition of Section IX are specified for the design and fabrication of the component?
Reply: No.

Interpretation: III-1-04-23
Subject: Section III, Division 1, NF-1110(c) Aspects of Construction Covered by These Rules
Date Issued: April 13, 2005
File: NI03-021
Question: Are the rules of Subsection NF applicable to internal structures supporting heat exchanger
tubing in a Section III, Division 1, Class 1 component?
Reply: No.

Interpretation: III-1-04-24
Subject: Section III, Division 1, NB-4232.1 Fairing of Offsets
Date Issued: April 13, 2005
File: NI03-022
Question (1): Does NB-4232.1 allow a 3:1 ID taper to be provided by application of cladding when the
finished base material weld does not meet the 3:1 taper requirement prior to cladding?
Reply (1): No.
Question (2): Does NB-4232.1 require the 3:1 taper over the width of the finished weld to be constructed
from a single taper such that the finished weld profile resembles a straight line?
Reply (2): Yes.
Question (3): Can the rules of NB-4425 be applied to a pipe-to-pipe butt weld as an alternative to the
NB-4232.1 transition requirement?
Reply (3): No.

Interpretation: III-1-04-25
Subject: Section III, Division 1, NB-2420 Required Tests
Date Issued: April 13, 2005
File: NI03-023
Question: Is the testing for each lot required by NB-2420 only for the weld metal test specified in
NB-2430, not for testing specified in Section II, Part C?
Reply: Yes.

Interpretation: III-1-04-26
Subject: Section III, Division 1, ND-3000 Design (1992 Edition)
Date Issued: April 13, 2005
File: NI03-024
Question: Does Subsection ND of Section III permit the use of limit load analysis?
Reply: No.

Interpretation: III-1-04-27
Subject: Section III, Division 1, Appendix N, Table N-1230-1; Damping Values (1998 Edition)
Date Issued: April 13, 2005
File: NI03-025
Question: Does Table N-1230-1 give damping values in terms of percent of critical damping?
Reply: Yes.

Interpretation: III-1-04-28
Subject: Section III, Division 1, NCA-3800 Metallic Material Organizations Quality System Program
Date Issued: April 13, 2005
File: NI03-026
Question: Can a program qualified under the requirements of ANSI N45.2 or 10 CFR 50, Appendix B,
be utilized for the furnishing of materials that must be produced in accordance with NCA-3800 without
survey, qualification, and audit under the requirements of NCA-3800?
Reply: No.

Interpretation: III-1-04-29
Subject: Section III, Division 1, NG-2542.1 Ultrasonic Examination of Rectangular Forgings and Bars
Date Issued: April 13, 2005
File: BC05-281
Question: Does NG-2542.1, in conjunction with SA-388 or SA-745, require an ultrasonic scan of rectangular forgings or bars in the axial direction if an examination in two perpendicular directions is performed
from the other surfaces?
Reply: No.

Interpretation: III-1-04-30
Subject: Section III, Division 1, NCA-3800 Metallic Material Organizations Quality System Program;
NCA-4000 Quality Assurance
Date Issued: April 13, 2005
File: BC05-413
Question: If an N Certificate Holder wishes to have manufacture and/or supply of material in his scope,
does he need to have, in addition to his NCA-4000 program, a Quality System Program meeting NCA-3800
requirements?
Reply: No. As specified in NCA-3820(c), an N Certificate Holder who wishes to add manufacture and/
or supply of material to his scope is not required to have a separate Quality System Program, providing
the requirements listed in NCA-3830(a) through (f) are addressed in the N Certificate Holders NCA-4000
program.

Interpretation: III-1-04-31
Subject: Section III, Division 1, NB-3227 Special Stress Limits; NB-3337 Attachment of Nozzles and Other
Connections
Date Issued: April 13, 2005
File: BC05-415
Question (1): Does the exemption from consideration of earthquake loads allowed by NB-3337 for partial
penetration welded nozzles also apply to the rules of NB-3227 when applied to partial penetration welded
nozzles?
Reply (1): No.
Question (2): When applying the rules of NB-3227.5 to a partial penetration welded nozzle, should
external earthquake loading be considered?
Reply (2): Yes.

Interpretation: III-1-04-32
Subject: Section III, Division 1, NB/NC/ND/NE/NH-3352 Permissible Types of Welded Joints
Date Issued: April 13, 2005
File: BC05-416
Question: For a nozzle neck extending more than dtn beyond the inner surface of the part penetrated,
do the corners at the end of the nozzle neck have to comply with the minimum r1 requirement of 14t or
3
4 in., whichever is less, specified in NB-3352.4(c)(3), NB-3352.4(d)(2), NC-3352.4(c)(3), ND-3352.4(c)(3),
NE-3352.4(c)(3), NE-3352.4(d)(2), and NH-3352(d)?
Reply: No.

Interpretation: III-1-04-33
Subject: Section III, Division 1, Table NB-3681(a)-1 and NB-3683.4 (1998 Edition Through the 2001 Edition
Including the 2003 Addenda)
Date Issued: May 5, 2005
File: NI03-012, BC03-1534
Question: Is it the intent of Table NB-3681(a)-1 that the value of C2 for an as-welded girth butt weld
as given in NB-3683.4 is equal to 1.0 when t < 0.237 in.?
Reply: Yes.

Interpretation: III-1-04-34
Subject: Section III, Division 1, NC/ND-4000 Fabrication and Installation
Date Issued: May 20, 2005
File: BC05-278
Question (1): Does Section III provide rules for the use of rolled or expanded mechanical joints for
tube-to-tubesheet connections in Class 2 or Class 3 pressure vessels?
Reply (1): No.
Question (2): Do the rules of NC-4511(c) provide for the combination of a carbon steel or stainless steel
header and coppernickel tubes?
Reply (2): No.

Interpretation: III-2-04-01
Subject: Section III, Division 2, CC-4331.2 Permitted Types of Splices and Joints
Date Issued: April 13, 2005
File: NI04-005
Question: There are several variations in the processes coupler manufacturers use to produce cold roll
formed parallel threaded splices. On the basis that the finished product is a cold roll formed parallel
threaded splice meeting the requirements of CC-4333, are there any production processes that would not
qualify the splice type as being acceptable under CC-4331.2(b)(6)?
Reply: The method of production of cold roll formed parallel threaded splices is not addressed. All cold
roll formed parallel threaded splices are acceptable under CC-4331.2(b)(6) provided the requirements of
CC-4333 are satisfied.