ASME International

Companion Guide to the  Boiler and Pressure Vessel and Piping Codes - Volume 1 - Fourth Edition
 N COMPANION GUIDE V1

Annotation

INTRODUCTION

This fourth edition is in two volumes composed of 11 Parts, with Parts 1–5 in Volume 1, Parts 6–11 in Volume 2. Common to both volumes is the front matter, including the Organization of the Code. Organization and Operation of the ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel (B&PV) Committee has been initially authored by Martin D. Bernstein for the first edition, appropriately updated in the second and third editions by Guido G. Karcher capturing the dramatic changes in the ASME B&PV organization. The current fourth edition is updated by Joel G. Feldstein and Thomas P. Pastor who hold positions of responsibility in the Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code Committees.

An index is provided at the end of each volume as a quick reference to topics occurring in different Code Sections of that volume. In addition to indexing several topics covered in this publication, it is also meant to assist in reviewing the overlaps of the ASME Boilers & Pressure Vessel Code Sections/Subsections/Paragraphs occurring in the particular volume. In each chapter, all discussions generally pertain to the latest 2010 Code Edition unless noted otherwise by the chapter author(s).

In the preceding three editions, a total of 140 authors contributed to this publication that had three volumes for the third edition. Unique for this edition with two volumes, is the inclusion of Code Sections I through XII, in addition to several ASME B31 Piping Codes. Each of the 49 contributors covering 38 chapters of the current fourth edition captured ‘up-to-date' Boiler and Pressure Vessel Codes and Standards, making this publication once again a comprehensive "Companion Guide Book".

The ASME Code is generally accepted in the United States (and in many foreign countries) as recognized minimum safety standard for the construction of pressure vessels and piping. Toward that end, these two volumes can be considered "a primer." Although this primer is authored by several Code Committee members who are considered experts in their respective fields, the comments and interpretations of the rules contained in this publication are strictly the opinions of the individual authors; they are not to be considered official ASME Code Committee positions.