ASME PCC-1 Level 2 Bolting Assembler Fundamentals (Self Study)

Module 1: Overview of ASME PCC-1

Module 2: Level 2 Bolting Assembler Roles and Responsibilities

Module 3: Flanged Joints

• The potential consequences of mating flat-faced flanges to raised-face flanges
• Bolting Terminology, including common terms found in the field and their relationship to each other (e.g. kips, psig, psi, lb, ft-lb, N-m, ksi, tpi)
• Bolts, studs, and nuts terminology
• The importance of multipoint tightening of Ring Type Joint Flanges
• Corporate and site standard and specifications for gaskets and piping
• Corporate and site standards for joint assembly
• Corporate and site standards and specifications for bolt loads and assembly techniques

Module 4: Bolts

• Common nut-bolt combinations
• Purpose for bolt and nut coatings for assembly and disassembly 
• Problems associated with reuse of studs/nuts and consideration for the need to renew bolting 
• Bolt inspection (thread form, corrosion, and free-running nut for triggering replacement; see section 4 and Appendix N) 
• Use of spacers or bolt collars

Module 5: Gaskets

• Methods for holding gasket in place
• Sensitivity of different gasket types to assembly procedures
• Differences of hard vs. soft gasket and hard faced vs. soft faced gasket

Module 6: Lubrication

• Why lubricant should be applied to all working surfaces
• Contamination of lubricants during assembly and the effect to resultant bolt load
• Purpose of applying lubricant (less torque to install, break out – reduce galling, reduce bolt scatter, achieve accurate bolt load)
• The necessity to use lubricant on coated studs, and effect of lubricant on coated studs
• Effect of type of lubricant

Module 7: Bolting Tools and Equipment

• Working parts of a manual torque wrench
• Setting required torque values on common types of wrenches, beware of units
• Bolting Patterns (sequence and passes required to achieve desired bolt torque
• Method of tightening
• Accuracy of bolt torque tightening versus that of manual tightening
• Variables affecting torque, single clicking vs. double clicking, slow steady pull versus jerky pulling
• Techniques used for load control by torque measurement
• Inspection of common field equipment (especially torque wrenches)
• Frequency of calibration and verification
• Discussion of the advantages and disadvantages of the tightening methods
• Use of proprietary backup wrenches and alignment tools, which may improve safety (hands free, reaction arm free) and speed of assembly

Module 8: Assembly of Flanges 

• Importance of bolts passing freely through bolt holes
• Ensuring Gasket is correctly located
• Flange-face gasket contact surface finish 
• Acceptable levels of surface imperfections corresponding to different gasket types (see Appendix D)
• Inspection of flange and nut contact surfaces 
• Joint tolerances and alignment 
• Final inspection of gasket seal surface and gasket (dimensions, type, and damage)
• Temporary support and/or rigging considerations for joint components
• Joint assembly records
• Joint gap measurement 
• Measurement of joint gaps during assembly 
• Measurement of joint gaps after assembly 
• General workflow for inspecting and preparing a joint for closure
• The need to ensure equipment alignment (shaft alignment) is not affected by external loads caused by assembly of piping connected to the rotating equipment
• Alignment: tighter limits required for shorter or stiff spans
• Acceptable levels of flatness corresponding to different gasket types