Pro tip for API 570 Piping Inspector Exam

API; first identifies a general job description for API 570 inspector. In order to carry the job description assigned to you as an authorized inspector, you are expected to have certain knowledge and experience.

If we categorize API inspectors into 3 levels:

• Apprentice
• Basic Inspector (This is the level you are being examined against)
• Supervising Inspector

Fact: API exam is based on a wide range of topics but the good news is that many exam questions are based on very basic inspection rules. Hence, lots of questions from vocabulary and scope, Organization and Certification Requirements, Types and Definitions of Maintenance Inspections.

Fact: API exam does not want to verify whether the inspector has memorized the codes and RPs, on the other hand, the exam tries to verify whether you have understood the concepts and rules to be able to apply it on various scenarios.

The knowledge type of question comes from understanding codes and recommended practices (Open book questions that you are not expected to remember but should know where to find a particular piece of information, how to interpret and use them for answering a question) while the practical or closed book type of questions come from experience or everyday knowledge that you expected to know by heart.

For API 570 Piping Inspector Exam, we have the publication effectivity sheet which tells us that as an Inspector, we should know about:

API 570, Piping Inspection Code: In-service Inspection, Rating, Repair, and Alteration of Piping Systems. This is a code and tells us about dos and don’ts.

API 570 is based on ASME B31.3, Process Piping which is also a code and hence mandatory.

API 570 code should be read in conjunction with API Recommended Practice 574, Inspection Practices for Piping System Components. You can find many similarities between them, especially the vocabulary.

API 574 is a recommended practice or best practice and tell you how to inspect. This is the document that you mostly use during your day to day inspection activities.

Fact: Definite exam question: Study API 570 and API 572 vocabulary very carefully.  Lots of basic questions come in the exam.

Every Piping involves welding and NDT.

For welding you should know about welding methods and processes (API Recommended Practice 577, Welding Processes, Inspection, and Metallurgy) as well as WPS, PQR and WPQ and hence ASME Section IX, Qualification Standard for Welding, Brazing, and Fusing Procedures.

You should know about popular NDT methods (VT, MT, PT, RT, UT) and ASME Section V tell you about how a procedures is written, how often NDT equipment should be calibrated and what should be the qualification of NDT inspectors (cross referenced to ASNT SNT TC 1A).

Piping always comes with flanges and hence you should know about B16.5, Pipe Flanges and Flanged Fittings.

You should also know about popular corrosion modes and damage and deterioration mechanism for piping and hence the selective parts of API Recommended Practice 571, Damage Mechanisms Affecting Fixed Equipment in the Refining Industry.

You should know about how to avoid mix up of material or Positive Material Identification (PMI) and hence API Recommended Practice 578, Material Verification Program for New and Existing Assets.

You should know about pressure relieving devices that any Piping has to vent off during emergency and hence API Recommended Practice 576, Inspection of Pressure-relieving Devices.

And finally you should know about selective Repair of piping such as weld build up and patches, Sleeves for Piping; Weld Build up, Weld Overlay, and Clad Restoration; Flaw Excavation and Weld Repair; Flange Repair and Conversion; Mechanical Clamp Repair; and pressure tightness testing flange repair and hence (ASME) PCC-2.

Let’s look at what type of exam question you should expect from another perspective.

API 570 Body of Knowledge not only tells us about the type of questions to expect but also hints at some potential questions:

Fact: API Authorized Piping Inspectors must have a broad knowledge base relating to maintenance, inspection, alteration, and repair of in-service metallic piping systems.

Fact: Only inspection parts of codes and recommended practices shall be used for exam questions.

You should know about Corrosion Rate and Inspection Intervals. Metal Loss (API 570, 7.1.2) is definitely an exam question (Open book).

The exam consists of two parts.

The closed-book part tests the candidate on knowledge and tasks requiring everyday working familiarity of API 570 and the applicable reference documents. You shall not have access to codes and RPs during closed book so you should know the answer by heart.

The open-book portion of the exam requires the use of more detailed information that the inspector is expected to be able to find in the documents but would not normally commit to memory.

During the exam, applicants will be expected to choose the best answer from the options provided (multi choice exams) although recently API introduced some 4-5 drag and drop type of questions.

API 570

Fact: Definite closed book questions from these API 570 codes sections:

a) Corrosion Rates (API 570, 7.1.2).

b) Remaining Life (API 570, 7.2).

c) Inspection Interval (API 570, 6.3.3 & Table 1).

d) The “MAWP” of corroded pipe, compensating for expected corrosion loss at the next inspection (API 570, 7.5).

Fact: Definite exam question: Any rules in API 570 shall take precedence over ASME B31.3.

ASME B31.3

Fact: Definite closed book questions from ASME B31.3 code:

1.  Casting Quality factor, Ec from ASME B31.3, 302.3.3(b) and Table A-1A
2. Weld Joint Quality factors from ASME B31.3, 302.3.4 and Table A-1B;
3. Increased Joint Quality Factors by performing supplemental NDE from ASME B31.3, Table 302.3.4;
4. Pressure design thickness (ASME B31.3, 304.1.1 and 304.1.2);
5. The minimum required thickness of a permanent (ASME B31.3, 304.5.3);
6. Hydrostatic leak testing (ASME B31.3, 345.4)
7. Pneumatic leak testing (ASME B31.3, 345.5)
8. Hydrostatic or pneumatic leak test pressure (ASME B31.3, 345.4 and 345.5)
9. Minimum metal temperature of a material, which is exempt from impact testing (ASME B31.3, 323.2.2, Figure 323.2.2A and Table A-1).
10. Minimum required Charpy V-notch impact values of a given material. (ASME B31.3, 323.3 and Table 323.3.5)
11. Weld sizes that require preheating and/or heat treatment and the required or recommended preheat temperature (ASME B31.3, 330 and Table 330.1.1).
12. Total thermal expansion of a material between temperatures (ASME B31.3, Appendix C, and Table C-1).
13. Minimum thickness for a permanent blank (ASME B31.3, 304.5.3).

ASME B16.5

Fact: Definite closed book questions from the minimum wall thickness and working pressure requirements for flanges.

1. Working pressure and minimum/maximum system hydrostatic test pressure for a flange of specified material and temperature (ASME B16.5, Section 2 and Table 1.1-1 and Tables 2-1.1 through 2-3.19 and Tables 2-1.1C through 2-3.19C).
2. Minimum dimensions of a given flange (ASME B16.5, Tables 7 through 22 and Tables 7C through 22C).
3. Maximum working pressure of a flange when given the design temperature, flange material and flange class.
4. Maximum temperature of a flange when given the design pressure, flange material and flange class.
5. Most cost-effective flange when given the design pressure, design temperature, and flange material.

ASME IX

Inspector should know about:

• Weld Procedure Specification (WPS)
• Procedure Qualification Record (PQR)
• Welder Performance Qualification (WPQ)a) Essential and non-essential variables. (Supplementary essential variables in case of PWHT).
• Number and type of mechanical tests for PQR, and acceptable results.
• Welder is qualified in terms of weld thickness and welding position.

Fact: Definite exam question: PQR and WPQ must be certified by signing and dating.

ASME Section V, Non-destructive Examination

You should know about NDT examiner qualification, instrument calibration and what comes in a typical NDT procedure and report for RT, MT, PT, VT, Leak Testing and UT (thickness measurement only) methods.

General Practical Knowledge (Closed book)

• Organization and API 570 Certification Requirements.
• Types and Definitions of Maintenance Inspections.
• Piping Materials and Fabrication Problems.
• Welding on Piping.
• General Knowledge of NDT Methods.
• Pressure Relief Devices.
• Maintenance Inspection Safety Practices.
• Inspection Records and Reports.
• Difference between Repair and Alteration.
• Rerating Piping.
• Pressure-Temperature Ratings

Potential exam questions from ASME PCC-2, Repair of Pressure Piping

Article 201: Butt-Welded Insert Plates in Pressure Components

Article 206: Full Encirclement Sleeves

Article 209: Alternatives to Post Weld Heat Treatment

Article 210: In-Service Welding

Article 211: Weld Build up, Weld Overlay, and Clad Restoration

Article 212: Fillet Welded Patches

Article 216: Welded Hot Taps in Pressure Equipment or Pipelines

Article 304: Flaw Excavation and Weld Repair

Article 305: Flange Repair and Conversion

Article 306: Mechanical Clamp Repair

Article 501: Pressure and Tightness of Piping and Equipment

Article 502: Non-destructive Examination in Lieu of Pressure Testing for Repairs and Alternations