Inspectioneering
Explore this topic

Overview of ASME PCC-1 - Guidelines for Pressure Boundary Bolted Flange Joint Assembly

ASME PCC-1, Guidelines for Pressure Boundary Bolted Flange Joint Assembly (BFJA), is a standard created and published by the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME). Published in November of 2013, PCC-1 replaces the first edition, which was published in 2000.

This standard applies to pressure-boundary flanged joints with ring-type gaskets that are entirely within the circle enclosed by the bolt holes and with no contact outside the circle. The guidelines within the standard may also be used to develop joint assembly procedures for a broad range of sizes and service as well. Guidance on troubleshooting BFJAs not providing leak-tight performance is also provided in this document.

This standard gives directions for the training and qualification of bolted joint assembly personnel. It also covers the cleaning and examination of flange and fastener contact surfaces, the alignment of flanged joints, the installation of gaskets, and the lubrication of working surfaces. The installation, numbering, and tightening of bolts are all covered by ASME PCC-1 as well, as is the tightening sequence. The final topics covered are target torque determination, joint pressure and tightness testing, records, and joint disassembly. There are also several appendices that provide important information and guidelines as well.
 
Compared to the previous edition ASME PCC-1, the 2013 edition has gone through many changes, including the newly added Appendix A, which contains significant guidance for the levels of training and experience required for technicians working on BFJAs. There are now three major levels of qualifications; all requiring different degrees of training, experience and assessment. One can only qualify for ASME PCC-1 once all three levels have been completed.
 
ASME PCC-1 also now outlines the extensive requirements for the training of bolted joint personnel, including qualified bolting specialists, qualified senior bolting specialists, and qualified senior bolting instructors. Also, training will now take much longer than previous bolted training programs, to cover all of the requirements.  For example, although only five days are required for the foundational module of the training curriculum, the training requirements from ASME include more than 200 individual topics which are all expected to be covered during the training.

Is this definition incomplete? You can help by contributing to it.

Share this Topic

Related Topics

ASME B31 ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code (BPVC) ASME FFS-1 (Fitness-for-Service) ASME PCC-2 - Repair of Pressure Equipment and Piping ASME PCC-3 - Inspection Planning Using Risk-based Methods

Relevant Links

Articles about ASME PCC-1 - Guidelines for Pressure Boundary Bolted Flange Joint Assembly
    News related to ASME PCC-1 - Guidelines for Pressure Boundary Bolted Flange Joint Assembly
    • Refcomm Rotterdam 2019
      Partner Content

      Becht Engineering's Bobby Wright will be presenting "Reliability Ranking and Life Extension of Coke Drums" at Refcomm Rotterdam October 3rd at 11:10 am. Also be sure to visit the Becht booth #15 to meet with Chuck Becht IV, Chuck Becht V,...

       Sign up for our weekly newsletter.
      Join the Inspectioneering LinkedIn group Follow Inspectioneering on Twitter Follow Inspectioneering on Facebook
      Copyright © 2020 Inspectioneering, LLC. All rights reserved.
      Inspectioneering Journal

      Inspectioneering Journal

      Explore over 20 years of articles written by our team of subject matter experts.
      Company Directory

      Company Directory

      Find relevant products, services, and technologies.
      Job Postings

      Job Postings

      Discover job opportunities that match your skillset.
      Case Studies

      Case Studies

      Learn from the experience of others in the industry.
      Event Calendar

      Event Calendar

      Find upcoming conferences, training sessions, online events, and more.
      Industry News

      Industry News

      Stay up-to-date with the latest inspection and asset integrity management news.
      Blog

      Blog

      Read short articles and insights authored by industry experts.
      Industry Acronyms

      Acronyms

      Commonly used asset integrity management and inspection acronyms.
      Downloads

      Downloads

      Downloadable eBooks, Asset Intelligence Reports, checklists, white papers, and more.
      Videos

      Videos

      Watch educational and informative videos directly related to your profession.
      Interviews

      Expert Interviews

      Inspectioneering's archive of interviews with industry subject matter experts.