ASME Compliance

In the Life Sciences industry, there is often a requirement to deliver tubes that meet ASME standards. Generally, what is meant here is simply the tube dimensions with regard to diameter and wall thickness. In this case, ASME is identical with the ODT dimensions. However, ASME BPE also defines a minimum and maximum content for elemental sulphur, which must lie between 0.005 % and 0.017 %. However, According to ASME regulations this requirement applies just to tube ends that are yet to be automatically welded, and not to those that are already welded. The definition of a certain range for the sulphur is appropriate, since parts with strongly differing sulphur content would deflect the arc during welding and, as a result, would decrease the quality of the weld seam. Otherwise, the value prescribed in the German Key to Steel or the value defined in AISI for 316L of 0.030 % sulphur content applies.

Technologies Details

ASME BPE specifies not only the sulfur content of the work piece, but also the amount of other materials contained in the steel such as nickel, molybdenum, etc. These, however, essentially correspond to the values in the German Key to Steel, which applies in Europe.