If you’re not a mechanic or someone who has dealt with pressure vessels, we’re guessing you might not have heard of an R Stamp certification. If you have, you might not know exactly what it means or how important that is.
Either way, you’ve benefitted from it greatly because that certification goes a long way toward making our semi-tankers and roads safe.
First, you have to understand how important it is to safely work on, or repair, pressure vessels. Pressure vessels hold everything from natural gas, petroleum products, water treatments and countless other products.
In order to transport or carry these products safely, the American Society of Mechanical Engineers has set standards for pressure vessel design and manufacturing to make sure the products are kept safe. Any component or tank designed to hold 15 psi is subject to the ASME guidelines.
These guidelines are critical with regard to cargo vessels transporting these products. The Department of Transportation requires any repairs on an ASME component — the shell or tank of a pressure vessel — to be performed by a welder in a qualified shop that has the R Stamp certification, which means the welder is certified by the National Board of Boiler and Pressure Vessel.
To gain and maintain the National Board of Boiler and Pressure Vessel’s R Stamp certification requires a detailed and strenuous testing and certification process. Once the process is completed, the welder and the shop they work for must maintain good standing with the National Board. Anyone trying for this certification must be able to outline all repair procedures and demonstrate the ability to perform the repairs.
If an agency doesn’t comply with these guidelines, or repairs are done by non-qualified individuals, it has the potential to result in a major public hazard.
This is just an introduction to what an R Stamp certification is and its importance. For more information on what the R Stamp certification is and what it means, visit the National Board of Boiler and Pressure Vessel Inspectors’ website and you can also see what it takes to become and stay accredited with this pdf breakdown.
At North Dixie Truck and Trailer, we take this R Stamp certification very seriously. We are certified by the National Board of Boiler and Pressure Vessel to perform welding repair operations on pressure vessels according to the aforementioned ASME codes.
Our ability to work on pressure vehicles is one example of our flexibility. Our tank division is a state-of-the-art fabrication and weld shop and is equipped to work on all types of trailers. We work with you to make sure your trailer is properly repaired or retrofitted to exact specifications. To see more of what we offer, check us our tank division online today.