ASME B31.12 Inspection & Test Plan (ITP)
A typical stage-wise ITP / quality plan for valves supplied to ASME B31.12 — inspection activities, tests, acceptance references and verifying documents, with recommended hold, witness and review points for QC and third-party inspection.
What is the ITP for ASME B31.12 valves?
An Inspection & Test Plan (ITP) sequences every check between raw material and dispatch, and assigns each an inspection level — Review (document check), Witness (inspector may attend), or Hold (work stops until released). The plan below is a typical ITP for valves built to ASME B31.12 (Hydrogen Piping and Pipelines); the tests and documents are drawn directly from the standard's requirements. Use it to structure your QAP or coordinate third-party inspection.
1. Documentation & design review
Review- Approval of drawings, datasheets and QAP against ASME B31.12
- Material restrictions: carbon steels are limited by hydrogen embrittlement - specific grades and yield strength limits apply (e.g., max 70 ksi minimum yield for pipelines)
- Preferred materials: austenitic stainless steel (SS 316L), nickel alloys - immune to hydrogen embrittlement at ambient temperature
2. Raw material verification
Review- Material Test Reports (MTRs) review per EN 10204 3.1/3.2
- Positive Material Identification (PMI) of pressure-containing parts
3. Dimensional inspection
Witness- Dimensional check per ASME B31.12 / ASME B16.34 / applicable face-to-face
- Wall thickness verification
4. NDE (as applicable)
Witness- Visual, and RT/UT/MPI/DPT of castings/welds per specification
5. Pressure & performance testing
Hold- Hydrostatic shell test: 1.5× design pressure, per ASME B16.34
- Seat leakage test: per API 598 (Class A bubble-tight preferred for hydrogen)
- Fugitive emission test: ISO 15848-1 Type Testing Class A (≤50 ppm methane equivalent)
- Fire-safe type test: API 607 or API 6FA qualification
- Low-temperature testing if cryogenic hydrogen (LH2) service
Primary hold point — witnessed shell, seat and backseat tests.
6. Fire-type test (qualification)
Hold- Fire test per API 607 / API 6FA with post-fire leakage acceptance
7. Marking, painting & preservation
Review- Nameplate & body marking verification
- Painting/coating DFT check, end protection and preservation
8. Final documentation
Hold- Material test reports (EN 10204 3.1 or 3.2) with confirmation of hydrogen service suitability
- Hardness test results for all pressure-containing parts (≤22 HRC per NACE if specified)
- API 607 fire-safe type test certificate
- ISO 15848-1 fugitive emission type test certificate
- Dimensional inspection report to applicable dimensional standard (ASME B16.34, API 6D)
Final documentation review before release/dispatch.
This is a typical ITP framework populated from ASME B31.12 requirements, for reference. The actual hold/witness/review split is agreed per project between purchaser, manufacturer and the third-party inspection agency in the approved QAP. Confirm project-specific requirements before use.
Connected Engineering
Need ASME B31.12 valves with a full ITP?
We supply ASME B31.12-compliant valves with a project-specific ITP, in-house QC and third-party inspection (SGS, BV, TUV, DNV) coordination — hold and witness points accommodated. Get a 24-hour quote.