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The following text is taken from the “Preface” of the ASME Code for the Construction of Pressure Vessels. ——The construction of pressure vessels involves a series of tasks including material selection, design, manufacturing, inspection, and testing. ——Standard specifications cover the following three basic aspects of pressure vessel construction: mandatory requirements ; Special prohibition rules ; Non-mandatory guidelines. ——Standards and specifications cannot possibly cover all aspects and details of container construction. What is not mentioned should not be considered prohibited. ——Standard specifications are not manuals; they cannot replace the use of training, experience, and engineering evaluation. ——“\"Engineering evaluation\" refers to a technical assessment conducted by designers who are knowledgeable and skilled in applying relevant standards. Engineering evaluations must be in line with the basic principles of standards and specifications; under no circumstances should engineering evaluations or experience be used as an excuse to disregard the mandatory requirements or specific prohibitions set out in those standards and specifications. ——The tools and methods used for design and analysis have evolved with technological advancements, and it is hoped that engineers will make sound judgments when applying these tools. It is the designer’s responsibility to comply with the rules of the standards; when the standard formulas are mandatory, calculations must be carried out in accordance with those formulas. The specification neither requires nor prohibits the use of computers to analyze or design components manufactured in accordance with the specification. However, designers and engineers who recommend the use of computer programs for design and analysis should be aware that they are responsible for all technical assumptions inherent in the programs used, as well as for the use of these programs in the design process. ——The rules established by the standards shall not be construed as an approval, recommendation, or endorsement of any particular patent or design, nor shall they be interpreted as restricting, in any way, designers from choosing any design method or structural format that complies with the specified rules.