Can a piping worker who cannot perform stress calculations be called a piping expert?
Thread Content
We call it the piping engineering specialty, but most of the work involves piping installation. After the pipes are installed, stress calculations still need to be done by specialists in this field; they then inform us of any issues that need to be addressed. I’m curious – can such piping designers really be considered experts in piping work? What’s the situation in other companies?
Normally, the process engineering field does not deal with piping; piping is the responsibility of the piping engineering specialty. But smaller design institutes are not so particular about this. I used to do the same thing in the design department at the factory; later on, I realized that it was very difficult to handle things that way, so I started to handle the piping myself for those pipes that required stress calculations. Eventually, when one of these pipes needed stress analysis, I would also arrange the other pipes as well. Now that I’ve switched to a design institute, there is no dedicated piping specialty; the thermal engineering department is responsible for thermal pipelines. Thermal power plants fall within our area of expertise. As for the pipelines in the process workshops that require stress calculations, we handle their piping work as well, but the general layout must be determined by the process engineers. Our professional engineers prepare the drawings, but they are done as part of the process piping; the drawing number is assigned by the process department, and the specialty indicated is also process.
Generally, large design firms have separate departments for stress analysis, pipeline material design, and piping engineering; the stress analysis department is distinct from the others. When PDMS is used, there are also dedicated personnel responsible for maintaining the component library. In smaller design firms, these three tasks are all handled by the same person
Please take a look at my post on the division of labor among specialists: https://bbs.hcbbs.com/thread-3045261-1-1.html
Piping designers and pressure pipeline designers must be able to perform stress calculations; otherwise, they are not true piping engineers. In reputable design firms both at home and abroad, true piping engineers must be capable of carrying out pipe layout work as well as stress calculations. It looks odd when they’re separated.
They can’t do stress calculations, nor can they fabricate pipes properly. Without on-site experience, it’s impossible to handle piping and stress properly.
Well, the OP asked a good question. As a process engineer with production experience, dealing with piping issues according to process requirements is not too difficult, but stress analysis (along with component library management) proves to be more challenging; after all, professional training is required for that
In large design institutes or companies, both domestically and internationally, professional pipeline design engineers are generally capable of handling both piping installation and stress analysis; those who cannot perform stress analysis cannot be considered professional pipeline design engineers, and such people are very rare. Some companies may use assembly-line methods, but a true professional pipeline design engineer needs to be proficient in both piping and stress analysis. **The same requirement applies to the examinations for pressure pipeline approvers
Stress analysis is the foundation for proper piping design; without an understanding of stress, piping design is certainly not possible. Pipe materials, piping systems, and pipe stress are the foundation of a competent pipe design project.