The American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) established the B31 Pressure Piping Code Committees to promote safety in pressure piping design and construction through published engineering criteria. The basic consideration of the Codes is safety, however, the Codes are not designed to replace competent engineering design or judgement. Most importantly, the Codes do not “approve”, “rate”, or “endorse” any items of construction; proprietary devices, or activity. | IPS GROOVED COUPLINGS AND FITTINGS CODE Conformance of Victaulic IPS Grooved Couplings and Fittings to ASME Process Piping Code 2006 Requirements The American Society of Mechanical Engineers ASME established the B31 Pressure Piping Code Committees to promote safety in pressure piping design and construction through published engineering criteria. The basic consideration of the Codes is safety however the Codes are not designed to replace competent engineering design or judgement. Most importantly the Codes do not approve rate or endorse any items of construction proprietary devices or activity. The Codes do not put a limit on conservatism and conversely the Codes also allow for designs that are capable of more rigorous engineering analysis which justifies less conservative designs. A final point of importance is that the Codes strive to keep abreast of all current technologies regarding improvements to materials fabrication and any other new developments in the piping industry. They are not intended to limit the introduction of new products. Numerous sections of the B31 Codes provide the necessary guidelines to analyze new or nontraditional products so that sound engineering judgments can be made regarding Code conformance. Victaulic Standard IPS couplings and grooved end fittings may be utilized on ASME Process Piping Code applications within their published temperature and pressure parameters. ASME designates the use of mechanical joints specifically grooved joints that use gaskets as method of leak resistance under Paragraph Definitions which defines a Mechanical Joint as A joint for the purpose of mechanical strength or leak resistance or both in which the mechanical strength is developed by threaded grooved rolled flared or flanged pipe ends or by bolts pins toggles or rings and the leak resistance is developed by threads and compounds gaskets rolled ends caulking or machined and mated surfaces. Also grooving is designated as a .
