Code Requirements : Post Weld Heat Treatment

ASME SEC-III : DIV.-1

- G S Mahobia

ASME Requirements
Applicable Clauses
NC-4620
Post Weld Heat Treatment
NC-4621
-Heating and Cooling Methods

NC-4622
PWHT Time and Temp.
Requirements
NC-4622.1*
General Requirements

SECTION-III DIV.1 : Code Requirements

- Any suitable methods of heating and cooling,provided the
required heating and cooling rates,metal temperatures.metal
temperature uniformity,and temperature control are
maintained.

- All welds,including repir welds

- Time and temperature requirements as per table-NC-4622.1-1
- PWHT shall be performed in temperature-surveyed andcalibrated furnaces, or PWHT shall be performed with
thermocouples in contact with material or attached to blocks in
contact with the material.

*Any PWHT time which is anticipated to be applied to the material or item after it is completed
shall be specified in the Design Specification.The certificate Holder shall include this time in the
total time at temperature specified to be applied to the test specimens.

ASME Requirements
Applicable Clauses

SECTION-III DIV.1 : Code Requirements

- Records of all PWHT shall be made available for review by the AI.
NC-4622.2
Time-temperature Recordings

- Identification on the records shall be to the weld,part, component

- A summary of the records may be provided for permanent records in
accordance with NCA-4134.17
- Thickness of the weld,the pressure retaining material for structural
attachment welds or the thinner of the pressure retaining materials being

NC-4622.3
Definition of Nominal Thickness
Governing PWHT

joined,whichever is least
[does not include forming allowances/thinning or mill overrun when the
excess material does not exceed 3mm.
- For fillet welds throat thickness
- For repair welds and for partial penetration welds:the depth of the weld
groove pr preparation.

ASME Requirements
Applicable
Clauses

SECTION-III DIV.1 : Code Requirements

a).- Table-NC-4622.1-1 (based on nominal thickness of the weld)
-- Holding time need not be continuous.It may be an accumulation of the times of
multiple post weld heat-treat cycles.
-B) Holding time at temp. in excess of the min. requirements of table-NC-4622.1-1 may

NC-4622.4
Holding Times at
Temperature

be used provided that specimens so heat treated are tested in accordance with NC2200,NC-2400 AND NC-4300#.
--c)PWHT of certain materials at lower temperature for longer periods of time in
accordance with Table-NC-4622.4 -1,
--For P No.1 materials impact test requirements for PQR shall be made using the same
min. temp. & increased min. holding time,
-- Welding procedures,qualified as per table-NC-4622.1-1 & NC4622.4-1 are also
qualified for any temperature in between.

The PWHT holding time shall be at least 80% of the maximum time to be applied to the weld metal in production
application.
#

ASME Requirements
Applicable Clauses
NC-4622.4
Holding Times at Temperature

SECTION-III DIV.1 : Code Requirements

-when such in-between temperature is used, the minimum holding time shall
be interpolated from Table-NC-4622.1-1 and Table NC-4622.4-1
-Except for P No.1 materials, when Table NC-4622.4-1 are to be used,the
welding material certification required by NC-2400 shall be made using the
same min. temp. and increased min. holding time,

NC-4622.5
PWHT Requirements when

-the applicable PWHT shall be that specified in Table NC-4622.1-1 for the
material requiring the higher PWHT temperature range.

different P No. materials are

joined
NC-4622.6
PWHT Requirements for Non
pressure Retaining Parts

-when Non pressure Retaining Parts are welded with pressure retaining
parts,the PWHT range of the pressure retaining parts shall control.

ASME Requirements
Applicable Clauses

SECTION-III DIV.1 : Code Requirements

a)

Nonferrous materials,

b)

Welds exempted in Table NC-4622.7(b)-1,

c)

Welds subjected to temperatures above the PWHT temperature

range specified in Table NC-4622.1-1,provided the WPS is qualified

NC-4622.7 Exemptions to mandatory

in accordance with section IX and the base material and the

Requirements

deposited weld material have been heat treated at the higher

temperature;
d)

Welds connecting nozzles to componenets or branch to run piping,

provided the requirements in NC-4622.8 are met;

e)

Welds repair to P-No-3 materials in vessels,provided the

requirements of NC-4622.9 are met.

ASME Requirements
Applicable Clauses

SECTION-III DIV.1 : Code Requirements

- Welds connecting nozzles or branch piping of P No.1 materials to
components or run piping of P-No.1 or P-No.-3 materials that are not

NC-4622.8
Requirements for
Exempting PWHT of Nozzle
to Components Welds and
Branch-to Run Piping
Welds

exempted from PWHT in Table 4622.7(B)-1 need not be given a PWHT if the
requirements of (a) are met for partial penetration and (b) are met for full
penetration welds.
(a) The partial penetration welds are made with A-No.8 or non-air-hardening NICr-Fe weld metal after:
1.) The ferritic materials to be joined are buttered or built-up with A-No.8 or nonair-hardening NI-Cr-Fe weld metal having a min. thickness of 6mm;and
2.) The HAZ of the buttered or built-up ferritic materials are post weld heattreated in accordance with NC-4620 without the PWHT exemptions being
applied,prior to making the final welds

ASME Requirements
Applicable
Clauses

SECTION-III DIV.1 : Code Requirements

(b)The full penetration welds are made with A-No.1 or A-No.2 weld metal,provided that:
1.) The component or run pipe is built-up/buttered in the area of the attachment with A-No1 or A-No.2 metal
having a min. thickness of 6mm;

NC-4622.8
Requirements for
Exempting PWHT
of Nozzle to
Components Welds
and Branch-to Run
Piping Welds

2.) The A-No1 or A-No.2 weld metal build up/buttering is post weld heat treated in accordance with NC-4620
for P-No.1 or P-No.3 materials without the PWHT exemption being applied;
3.) The welds do not penetrate through the component or run pipe thickness;
4.) Weld metal with A-No1 or A-No.2 analysis is used to join the nozzle or branch pipe of P-No.1 material to
the weld buildup or buttering;
5.) The nominal thickness of the weld joining the nozzle or branch pipe to the component or run pipe does not
exceed 38mm, and the maximum reported C content of the nozzle or branch pipeing connection does
not exceed 0.30%;
6.) a 95C min. preheat is maintained during welding whenever the nominal thickness of the weld exceeds:
(a).32mm and the max. reported C content of the material of the nozzle or branch pipe is 0.30% or less; or
(b)19mm and the max.reported C content of material of the nozzle or branch pipe connection exceeds 0.30%

ASME Requirements
Applicable
Clauses

SECTION-III DIV.1 : Code Requirements

-Limited weld repairs to vessels of P-No.3 materials and A-No.1,A-No.2.A-No.10 or A-No.11 weld filler metal
(SECION-IX,QW-442) may be made without PWHT or after the final PWHT, provided the following
requirements are met:
(a)

Examination of the area to be repaired : before repair area shall be examined by MT or DP in accordance
with NC-5110 and shall meet the NC-5340 or NC-5350 standards,

NC-4622.9
Weld Repair to
Vessels

(b)

Max. extent of repair : a repair shall not exceed 6500mm2 in surface area and shall not be greater in depth
than 50% of the base metal or weld thickness or 13mm,whichever is less.

(c)

Repair welding procedure:

1.) Procedures and welders in accordance with Section-IX/SMAW & low hydrogen covered electrodes
2.) The largest electrode diameter shall be 4mm and bead width shall not exceed four times the electrode
diameter.
3.) Min. two layers of weld metal.The last layer shall be limited or ground off
4.) A preheat and interpass temperature of 150C min. shall be used
(d) Examination of repair welds : by MT methods and accepted in accordance with NC-4622.9 (a) above.

ASME Requirements
Applicable
Clauses

SECTION-III DIV.1 : Code Requirements

-

above 425C, the ROH/ROC in any hourly interval shall not exceed 220C divided by
the max. thickness in inches of the material being heattreated, but shall not exceed
220C and need not be less than 56C in any hourly interval.

NC-4623
PWHT Heating

than 140C within any 4.5m interval of weld length.Following exemptions are permitted:

and Cooling Rate

Requirements

During heating and cooling period there shall not be a greater variation in temperature

(a) P-NO.6 Materials may be cooled in air from the postweldheattreatment holding
temperature specified in Table NC-4622.1-1

(b)For P-No.7 materials the cooling rate at temperature above 650C shall not exceed
56C/Hr,after which the rate of cooling shall be sufficiently rapid to prevent
embrittlement.

NC-4624
Methods of
PWHT

NC-4624.1:Furnace Heating One Heat

-

the furnace atmosphere shall be controlled so as to avoid excessive oxidation, and direct
impingement of flame on the component or item is prohibited.

ASME Requirements
Applicable
Clauses

SECTION-III DIV.1 : Code Requirements

NC-4624.2 Furnace Heating-More than One Heat
-

overlap of the heated sections of the component ot item is at least 1.5m.

The portion outside the furnace shall be shielded so that the tempertaure gradient is not
harmful.

NC-4624.3 Local Heating

NC-4624

the ranges specified as below

Methods of
PWHT

heating a circumferential band around the component or item at temperatures within

The min. width of the controlled band at each side of the weld, on the face of the graetest
weld width, shall be the thickness of the weld or 50mm, whichever is less.

The temperature of the component or item outside the controlled band shall be
gradually diminished so as to avoid harmful thermal gradients. [also applicable for
repairs]

NC-4624.4 Heating Components Internally

- Previous to this operation,the component or item shoild be fully enclosed with insulating
material

ASME Requirements
Applicable Clauses

SECTION-III DIV.1 : Code Requirements

(a) Ferritic alloy steel pipe or formed portions pf pumps or valves that have been
heated for bending or other forming operations shall receive a heat treatment

NC-4650

in accordance with NC-4620, a full anneal, a normalizing and tempering

Heat Treatment after

treatment, or a quenching and tempering treatment.

Bending or Forming for

pipe,pumps and valves

(b) Carbon steel pipe or formed portions of pumps or valves with a wall thickness

NC-4651

>19mm included in group P-No1 in section IX that have been cold bent or
formed shall receive heat treatment in accordance with NC-4620

Conditions
(c)

Ferritic alloy pipe or formed portions of pumps or valves with an outside

diameter >100mm and a wall thickness >13mm included in groups P-No.3
through P-No5 in Section IX that have been cold bent or formed shall receive
heat treatment in accordance with NC-4620

NC-4650
Exemptions From Heat
Treatment after Bending or
Forming

(a) CS bent. Formed at a temp. 900C or >

(b) Austenitic SS
(c)

CS /Ferritic alloy steel with size and wall thickness less than specified in NC4651 (b),

ASME Requirements

Applicable Clauses

SECTION-III DIV.1 : Code Requirements

-

May be used for welding of temporary attachments and permanent

nonstructural attachment provided:

NC-4311.2

Temporary attachmens are removed in accordance with the

provisions of NC-4435 (b)

Capacitor Discharge Welding

-

The energy output is limited to 125W-Sec. & the min. thickness of

the material to which attachments is made is >2.5mm

A WPS shall be prepared and shall indicate equipment,combination

of materials to be joined and the technique of application;
qualification of welding procedure is not required.

Table NC-4622.1-1 Mandatory PWHT

Table NC-4622.1-1 Mandatory PWHT

Table NC-4622.4 (c)-1 Alternative Holding Temperatures and Times

Table NC-4622.7 (b)-1 Exemptions to Mandatory PWHT

Table NC-4622.7 (b)-1 Exemptions to Mandatory PWHT

Table NC-4622.7 (b)-1 Exemptions to Mandatory PWHT

Table NC-4622.7 (b)-1 Exemptions to Mandatory PWHT

Table NC-4622.7 (b)-1 Exemptions to Mandatory PWHT

ASME Requirements

Other Applicable Clauses

SECTION-III DIV.1 : Code Requirements

NC-2170

Heat Treatment to enhance impact properties

NC-2180

Procedures for Heat Treatment of Material

NC-2210

HeatTreatment requirements

NC-2211

Test Coupon HeatTreatment for ferritic material

NC-2212

Test Coupon HeatTreatment for QT material

NC-2212.1

Cooling rates

NC-2212.2

General Procedures