Positive Material Identification Procedure

This content provides you with a sample positive material identification procedure.
This PMI test procedure must be modified based your project specification. This
procedure has been prepared for industrial plant construction project and contains
both shop and site inspections. 

1. Introduction

The XXX company has been contracted by the xxx to conduct the EPC for XXX
Project. This Project includes offshore facilities, platform and undersea pipelines, and
onshore facilities for the processing of the reservoir fluid.

2. Project Overview

XXX

3. General

3.1 Scope

This procedure prescribes the requirements for the positive material identification
(PMI) for vessels and piping to verify that alloy materials are of acceptable chemical
composition independent of any certificate and marking that may exist, and to assure
that correct alloy materials are used at the places where intended. "AV" low stress
stamp will be applied for the marking.

3.2 Definition of Contracting Parties

Company: XXX

Contractor: XXX

Vendor: Company who will supply and/or manufacture equipment and/or materials

under Purchase Order issued by Contractor

Inspector: Inspector dispatched by Contractor/Company or inspector of third party

inspection agency designated by Contractor

EPCC: Engineering, Procurement, Construction & Commissioning

SBM: Single Buoy Mooring

PMI: Positive Material Identification

3.3 Referenced Documents

This Procedure shall be read in conjunction with the following Documents:

XXX Project Quality Plan

XXX General Requirements for Welded Fabrication

XXX Specification, Design and Fabrication of Pressure Vessels

XXX Steel Piping Fabrication

XXX General Work Procedure for Welding

XXX Non Destructive Testing Procedure

XXX Site Material Approval Procedure

ASME B31.3 Process Piping

ASME Section II Part C Materials

DINEN 10204 Metallic products - Types of inspection documents

ASTM E 1476 Standard Guide for Metals Identification, Grade Verification, and

Sorting

ASTM E 572 Standard Test Method for Analysis of Stainless and Alloy Steels by X-
ray Fluorescence Spectrometr

ASTM E 322 Standard Test Method for X-Ray Emission Spectrometric Analysis of

Low- Alloy Steels and Cast Irons

4. Extent of PMI

4.1 Materials

4.1.1 This procedure shall be applied to the following low alloy / Stainless Steel / high
alloy materials, i.e.: 

1) Low alloy steel containing more than 1 Cr - 0.5 Mo and/or 3.5 Ni 

2) Type 316/316L stainless steel

3) Type 321/347 stainless steel

4) 11-13% Cr (Type 410/410S/40S)

5) Nickel Alloy such as INCONEL&HASTELLOY

6) Cooper Nickel Alloy

7) Aluminum -Bronze

8) Titanium

9) Other materials as mentioned in table 1.

Examination of the base materials to be carried out. Elements to be determined

during PMI shall be as per Table.1.
4.2 Positive Material Identification Extent of Examination

4.2.1 This procedure shall be applied to the pressure containing parts of following
items including welded joints and components (plates, forgings, nozzle(pipe),
flanges, internal lining, tubes etc.) to the pressure containing parts of Pressure
Vessels and Piping mentioned below para.1 and 2, respectively:

Also it shall be applied to the similar part in the package units.

1) Equipment

a) Pressure vessels, such as reactors, towers, drums, heat exchangers, air cooled
heat exchangers

b) Fired heaters (only heater coils)

2) Piping

a) Pipes

b) Fittings

c) Flanges

d) Valves

The welded joints and components shall be tested after fabrication. For PMI test of
tagged items, mill certificates shall cover all bulk items and components before
fabrication.

All parts that are tested in the fabricated form should be 100% verified.

5. Sampling Procedure

5.1 Positive Material Identification (PMI) of Equipment at Vendor's Shop

The vendor shall perform PMI examination of the finish weld on the one point of each
joint inside and outside for all weld joints. When access is not possible to the inside
weld and/or weld size is small, examination of the outside of a weld only shall be
acceptable.

5.2 PMI of Piping Bulk Materials at Vendor's Shop

5.2.1 The vendor shall perform PMI examination of all samples chosen at random
from an inspection batch. Unless otherwise specified, inspection will be carried out at
random for at least 1 (one) per each heat, minimum 3 points on each length of
examined pipe to be carried out.

5.2.2 If any item from sample is found to be unacceptable, all remainder of that batch
and two subsequent inspection batches shall be performed 20% PMI examination.

5.3 Positive Material Identification of Welded Joints at Site

5.3.1 After installation on the final location at site, the color code marked on the
piping systems shall be checked and recorded by the Construction Contractor.

5.3.2 Finished groove weld in alloy piping system shall be examined on the one point
of each joint for 5% groove weld joint.

5.3.3 Finished groove weld of alloy equipment assembled at Site shall be examined
on the 5% random basis for all welded joints.

5.4 PMI of Components at Site

PMI of equipment is not required at site since PMI examination of these items shall
be done at Vendor's shop, but for piping components such as pipes, fittings &
flanges, material traceability shall be performed in accordance with the document No.
XXX Procedure for Heat Number Traceability for Piping Material.

If material traceability has not been done properly, PMI is required for such part of
piping compounded at site.

Also for PMI of deposited weld metal at site, refer to Method Statement for Positive
Material Identification - XXX.

6. Positive Material Identification Examination Method

6.1 Instruments used to perform PMI shall conform to one of following:

6.1.1 Portable X-ray emission or fluorescence spectrometers with direct reading of

alloy grade or composition in the applicable range, such as "Texas Nuclear 9266" or
META scope or equivalent.

6.1.2 Molybdenum in type 316 and 316L stainless steel may be checked with
reagent.

6.2 The traces of PMI examination shall be taken off not to adversely affect the end
use of items.

6.3 Reagent shall be washed off with water not to adversely affect to the end use of
items and corrosion.

6.4 The construction contractor shall submit the PMI examination procedures which
include following:

6.4.1 Equipment to be used 

6.4.2 Washing of reagent

6.4.3 Control sheet of examination

6.4.4 Report form

7. Positive Matreial Identification Acceptance Criteria

Alloy elements specified in chemical composition of materials shall be detected at the
PMI examination. Acceptance criteria range for all the project material to be tabulated
as per related standard. Acceptable range shall include the tolerance of the
measuring equipment, which is provided with manual by equipment's maker

8. Color Code

8.1 For piping bulk materials, all items in an inspection batch shall be marked color
code by the vendor. The color-coding for pipes shall be marked whole length of pipes
after acceptance has been made.

9. Records

9.1 The vendor or the Construction contractor shall record the results of examination
on a report form which indicates following as a minimum:

9.1.1 Item number of equipment, name of piping bulk material or welding joint
number of piping systems

9.1.2 Material specification number and grade

9.1.3 Mill certification number

9.1.4 Inspection batch size

9.1.5 Number of items examined

9.1.6 Chemical composition detected

9.1.7 Measuring equipment used for examination with type, model, etc.

9.1.8 Signature and date of the representative of the supplier or the Construction
Contractor

9.1.9 Calibration certificate of the positive material identification equipment

9.1.10 PMI report shall be as per DIN 50049 or BS/EN 10204 type 3.1C or 3.2. (In
the meantime, PMI shall be witnessed by Company according to inspection and test
plan enclosed in the Material Requisition).

9.1.11 PMI performed by the Vendor shall be presented to the Company/Contractor's

inspector for his review and will be compiled into Manufacturer's Data Records at the
completion of fabrication or manufacturing.

Table.1 Elements to be determined during PMI

Materials (1) Elements to be determined
1% Cr, 0.5% Mo Cr, Mo

1.25% Cr, 0.5% Mo Cr, Mo

2.25% Cr, 1.0% Mo Cr, Mo

9% Cr, 1% Mo Cr, Mo

11-13% Cr (Type 410/410S/40S) Cr

304 (L) Cr, Ni, Mo, Nb(Cb), Ti

310 Cr, Ni, Mo, Nb(Cb), Ti

309 (L) Cr, Ni, Mo, Nb(Cb), Ti

309 Nb Cr, Ni, Mo, Nb(Cb), Ti

316 (L) Cr, Ni, Mo, Nb(Cb), Ti

321 Cr, Ni, Ti, Nb(Cb)

347 Cr, Ni, Nb(Cb), Ti

Alloy 600 Cr, Ni, Mo, Nb(Cb) + Ta

Alloy 625 Cr, Ni

Alloy 800/800H Cr, Ni, Al, Ti, Cu

AWS A5.11 ENiCrFe-2 Cr, Ni, Nb(Cb) + Ta

AWS A5.11 ENiCrFe-3 Cr, Ni, Nb(Cb) + Ta

AWS A5.14 ERNiCr-3 Cr, Ni, Nb(Cb) + Ta

2205 Duplex Cr, Ni, Mo

Admiralty Brass Cu, Sn, As

Aluminium Brass Cu, Al, Zn

Cupro-nickel (70-30) Cu, NI

Cupro-nickel (90-10) Cu, Ni

Monel 400 Cu, Ni

Titanium Ti