ASME Standards, Codes & Certifications
1. What is ASME?
ASME (American Society of Mechanical Engineers) is a professional organisation that develops engineering standards, codes and best practices for many different industries. These standards are recognised around the world and ensure safety, reliability and efficiency in engineering applications.
2. ASME Standards, Codes and Certifications
ASME has created approximately 600 codes and standards covering many technical areas, such as fasteners, plumbing fixtures, pipelines and power plant systems and components. ASME’s standards are developed by experts using an open, consensus-based process.
ASME standards provide the foundation for safe, efficient and reliable designs in industries all around the world. ASME standards are established practices that must be followed to ensure that products meet safety and performance requirements.
ASME codes are a set of laws that establish precise criteria for specific technical uses.
3. Why are ASME Codes and Standards required?
The main function and requirement of ASME codes and standards are to ensure safety and quality. All products that are ASME stamped have been thoroughly inspected, meet the quality and safety standards and ensure reliability.
For products, such as pressure vessels and boilers, that are required by law to be safety regulated, having a worldwide-recognised certification provides assurance to customers, regulators and the industry that their product has passed the highest level of testing and standards.
Examples
ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code (BPVC) Certification
Section III – Nuclear facility components, including seals and gaskets for nuclear applications.
Section VIII – Pressure vessels, which require compliant sealing solutions.
U, U2, U3 Stamps – Certification for manufacturers of pressure vessels, affecting gasket and seal compliance.
ASME BPE (Bioprocessing Equipment) Standard
Used in Food & Beverage, Pharmaceutical, and Biotechnology industries
Covers piping, valves, fittings, vessels, and other components used in industries requiring ultra-clean and sterile environments.
Emphasizes the need for smooth surface finishes, and cleanability to prevent contamination and ensure product purity.
ASME BPE compliance is essential for components such as Tuf-Steel® Gaskets, where leak-free connections and high temperature resistance are crucial.
ASME B16.20 & B16.21 (Gasket Standards)
ASME B16.20 – Covers metallic gaskets for pipe flanges, including spiral wound, ring-joint, and corrugated metal gaskets.
ASME B16.21 – Covers non-metallic flat gaskets used with raised-face flanges.
ASME QSC (Quality System Certificate)
Certification for companies that supply gaskets, seals and other components for pressure-retaining systems.
ASME PTC 11 (Performance Test Codes)
Covers performance testing of mechanical seals in pumps and rotating equipment.
ASME B73.1 & B73.2 (Pump Standards)
These standards define requirements for seals used in chemical process pumps.
History of ASME (Courtesy of the ASME website)
ASME was founded in 1880 to provide a setting for engineers to discuss the concerns brought by the rise of industrialisation and mechanisation.
1880 – ASME founded by members: Alexander Lyman Holley, Henry Rossiter Worthington and John Edison Sweet.
1884 – Due to a rise of boiler-related incidents, caused by an increase of steam power after the Industrial Revolution, a committee was formed on Performance Test Codes, including the Boiler Testing Code.
1901 – Rules for Conducting Tests of Oil & Gas created and issued
1905 – The Grover Shoe Factory Disaster of March 10th prompted an urgent need for more rules and regulations for boiler laws in the USA. A five-man board of Boiler-Rules was established post-disaster to create new boiler law for the state of Massachusetts
1908 – The Board publishes its Boiler Laws
1911 – ASME forms the Boiler Code Committee
1915 – The Boiler & Pressure Vessel Code (BPVC) is published. The BPVC was later incorporated into laws in most US states and territories and Canadian provinces.
1919 – National Board of Boiler and Pressure Vessel Inspectors formed.
1920 – Formation of a committee on standardisation of pipe flanges and fittings, later known as the B16 Standardisation of Valves, Flanges, Fittings, and Gaskets Committee.
1922 – The Boiler Code was officially adopted by the state of Massachusetts, marking the start of widespread governmental acceptance.
1943 –The Journal of Applied Mechanics was launched, advancing mechanical engineering research.
1956 – ASME introduced the Mark of Conformity (ASME Code Stamp) for manufacturers to certify their equipment met safety standards.
1969 – The first Design Engineering Conference was held, promoting collaboration in engineering design.
2003 – ASME launched Engineering for Change (E4C), an initiative to address global challenges through engineering.
2013 – ASME established the Verification and Validation (V&V) Standards, ensuring reliability in computational models.
2020 – ASME played a key role in setting medical device standards during the COVID-19 pandemic.
E&OE. M Barnwell Services endeavour to make sure that all content is correct. The information has been gathered from manufacturing partners and the official ASME website