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Schindler & Associates

SECTIO N 1 2

PosrrrvEMArE@ICArroN

rrMn

(sEE API RP 578)

Petroleum Institute (APD

Provided Courtesy of the American

POSITIVE MATERIAL

iorNrmrcATloN (PMI)TESTING
of a mat'eriai
Any physical evaluation or test
which has been
material'
the
that
i"
consistent
""itfitt"
*iff be placed into service is
alloy material
"t
*irtt ,tt" selected or specified
These
by the owner/user'
J"tignu*a
either
provide
evaluations or tests may
ts
that
informatton
oualitative or quantitative
alloy
nominal
the
to verify
l"fn"i"",
composition.
PMI Test Methods:
are available
A variety of PMI test methods
materials'
all
of
identify
the
;; d";;ti""
X-ray
itr" oti*uw methods include Portable
emiss.ion
portable optical
n"oi.t""*",
chemical
,o""oor.opY,
'-A and laboratory
test
several
of
description
u'nuiotit.
below'
methodsis listed
Portabte X'RaY Fluorescence:
portable X-ray
There are several variants of
The
fluorescence specfiometersavailable'
more
or
one
that
principle of operationis
generatea
got,*u ray sources are used to
excite the
to
rays
gamma
bean of low energy
unoer
matenal
The
material under analysis'
sp?c1ruT
characteristic
a
analysis ther'rernits

both
oi- i-iuv* which may be analyzed
determlne
qualitatively and quantitatively to
in what
and
present
are
elements
which
quantitY.
reportedin
The resultsof this analysiscan be
formats:
either or both of the following
reference
a.
-' As a match againstone of many
316
i'e''
instrument'
the
,f""ou rto,"d in
steel'
Mo
lz
Cr
5
or
siainlesssteel
as a
b. Each elementpresentis reported
percentage'

of the
Belause of the inherent iimitations
all
detect
to
i""hr,iqo", it is not possible
(S)
can
sulfir
than
elements.Elements lighter
X-ray
not be detected using portable
this
Therefore'
fluorescence specrometers'
(C)'
carbon
detect
to
used
be
techniquecarurot
Portable Opticat Emission Spectrometry:

I
I
I
I
I

I
I
I

the test
I
An electic arc stimulates atoms in
oI
specrum
sample to emit a characteristic
The
iigrti r"t each element in the sample'
different
from
co'mbined light spectra
are passedthrough a light guide to
the
"t"*"nr*
ihe optical inalyzer. In the analyzer'
spectral
its
into
dispersed
iigtti' it
and then measured and
"8*pon.n*,
stored calibration curves'
against
evaluated *emission
techniquecan typically
itre opticat
caret'ul
t,A.ntiiy up to 16 elements' Under
can
insffuments
controlled conditions, some
Xto
Similar
atro iO"ntify carbon content'
be
can
results
devices,
iuy noot"t"ence
or
match
spectral
a
r"pon.a in either
.
portable
Some
mode'
percentage
elemental
indicate
optical spectroscopesdo not directly
produce.an
but
composition,
or
gtuO.
uitoy
that
ourput"lnthe form of visible light spectra
identifi^cation'
oermit semiquaiitative alloy
the field' a
Frio. ,o use of this techniquein
tI a
determine
to
review should be conducted
hot work Permit is required'
Anatyiis:
Chemical Laboratory Chemical
znziiysis
Owner/user-approveci materiai
using X-ray emissionspectromery'
laboratories,
spectrometryor wet chemical
emission
optical
analyical
tiattrt .- prouitL the most accurate
typically
rs
accuracy
,"ruit fo, alLelements'The
f9t
needed
*".tt tigtt* ttran is normally
Y
the
involve
may
testing. Laboratory analysis
material'
the
of
amounts
t"t""A of significant
PMI test
*a it typi"uUy slower than field
techniques.

Associates'La Grange'Texas
Copyight 20020 Schindler&

- All rights reserved' Do not copy or distribute'

133

Schindler & Associates

SECTION12
POSITIVE MATERIAL IDENTIFICATION (PMI'}
(sEE APr RP s78)
Provided Courtesy of the American Petroleum Institute (API)

Other Oualitative Tests:

Equipment Calibration :

Chemical Spot Testing:

The person(s)performing the PMI testing

shouldcalibrateand/or verify the test
equipmentperformanceas specifiedby the
equipmentmanufacturer.The PMI test
procedureshouldprovide the frequency
intervalfor this calibration/verification. If
calibrationproceduresare not provided by
the equipmentmanufacturer,they should be
estabiished
by the owner/user.Typically,
theseproceduresshould inciude
calibration/verifi
cation usins certified
standards.

The drrnical Wot $ is typcdly ircutsi$ed by

ruroving a minmea-runrt of s.lfre
eiectrcd"rrnically
nrnl ad deposnngit cno noisffd flrer per.
Reageils&cppd cntl tE paperpod.re disino cdcrs
elenmtsin tE
tnt ae irdicativeof tn presareof Weciftc
san@ E$ed Grrnical WctEsingismu$ sicnrcrtrart
is
t'p drr field PMI fes nrfp& ad inrergemdon
s:@ive.
Resistivity Testing:
The principle employed in the test method is
known as the Seebeck Effect, or
thermoelectricprinciple. A heatedjunction
clf dissimilar nretal is createclwhen the
heated probe (300 Deg. F) and the metal
being tested are in contact with each other.
the voltage generated at this junction is
representative of the chemistry and
crystallinestructureof the metalbeing tested.
Every alloy of a given crystalline structure
will generatethe same voltage regardlessof
the geometryor size of the piecebeing tested
or the pressureapplied. By ref'erenceto
known standards, these lnstruments are
capable of sorting and identifying a wide
range of ferrous and nonferrousmaterials,.
Alloy sorters have not proved to be
consistently capable of sorting low alloy
(<5VoCr) and austeniticstainlesssteels.
Other l'echniques:

ffit

Techniques such as eddy-currentsorters,

electromagnetic alloy sorters, triboelectric
testing devices (e.g. fenet meters), and
thermoelectrictest are qualitativeand as such
may only appropriate for limited sorting
applications and
not
for
specific
identification.

PersonnelQualifications:
The person(s)performing PMI test should be
knowledgeable
aboutall aspectsof operation
of the PMI testequipmerltand the PMI test
methodused. Qualificationsof the person
performingthe PMI test, including training
and experience,should be submittedfor
review and approval by the owner/user.
PMI Test Records:
TypicallyPMI testrecordsshouldcontain:
a. reference
to the PMI testprocedure(s)
used.
b. dateof testing.
c. !e-q!--!Ir_s1ru
ryent i dentific ati on num ber or
serialnumber,where appropriate.
d. Nameof eachpersonand company
perlbrmingthe test.
e . r e s u l l so 1 ' t h et e s t s .
f. basisand actionfor resolving and
documentingPMI test nonconformance's
includingthosethat have been left in
service.

Copyright 2002@Schindler& Associates,La Grange,Texas- All rights reserved.Do not copy or distribute.

:
.,,6\
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.-134

Schindler& Associates

SECTION12
(SEEAPI RP 578)

Institute (APl)
Provided Courtesy of the American Petroleunr

documentationof tlie criteria usedfor

prioritizationof piping systemsand extent
of pm testingperformed' Alternatively,
the owner/usermay chooseto includethis
within the written materialverification
procedure.When includedin the
bwner/user'swritten materialverification
procedure,the date and edition number of
ihe written procedureshould be
in the testrecord'
documented

PMI Test Procedure:

The PMI test proce<lureshould include the
techniquesused,equipmentcalibration
elements,the qualification requirementsfor
PI{I test personnel,the testingmethodology'
and the documentationrequirements'

copy or distribute'
La Crange'Texas All riehts reserved.Do not
Copyright2002@Schindler& Associates'

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PMI TEST RECORD

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PMITest ProcedureUsed:

ffi

ClienVLocation:

Test InstrumentSerial Number:

Specification:

HeatNumber:

Accept:

Reiect:

Comments:

Specitication:

HeatNumber:

Accept:

Reiect:

Comments:

Accept:

Reiect:

Comments:

Accept:

Reject:

Comments:

2\

3)
5)

3)
4)
5)
Specification:

MSS/ASMEStandard:

2\

3)

r)
SFA #:

AWS Class:

1)

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Date Ol Test:

Person PerformingTest;

#I
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#

SECTION12
POSITIVE MATERIAL IDENTIFICATION (PMI)
(sEE APr RP s78)
Provided Courtesv of thc American llclrrtleum Institute (API)

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Schindler& Associates

fther! Materidls Or Remark6:

l . ' :

InspectorsSignature:

Date:

copyright 2002@Schindler& Associates,La Grange,Texas All rightsreserved.Do not copy or distribute.