All good points, I admit my ignorance of (but interest in) pipefitters'
experience.
What I see in the future is more internet involvement from all concerned, not just engineers and designers. I just haven't seen a lot of that level of involvement. Am I stereotyping the blue collar class here? I hope not.
I actually want to get more fitters on the list, because the site's goal is education. But also money, please send money.
Paul
> I asked my fitters. Here is what they normally use for reference
> (some have it in their shirt pockets, a 4"x7" blue book).
> Pipe Fitters Manual "Welding Fittings and Piping Components" by Tube
> Turn, Inc.
>
> In my 32 years participation in piping projects for the nuclear,
> cogen, refineries, pipelines, wastewater, and process industries (11
> years as field project manager), I heard many "experienced" fitters
> and welders telling tall stories about how they've saved the project
> while office engineers screwed the design up. In fact, such stories
> come from other crafts as well; the ironworkers, electricians, etc. I
> guess ignorance IS bliss.
> Paul, unless it is small-bore piping, fitters don't determine piping
> layout at the detail level unless approved by the responsible
> engineer. What's on the approved drawing is what's to be installed.
> The reason why projects create FCNs and As-built documentations.
>
> When it comes to questions of "how", none better then to ask your
> pipe fitters, but when the questions are "why", "when" "where"
> and "tell me more", the design engineers are the ones you deal with.
> Many times fitters give valuable suggestions to improve the design
> layout prepared by the engineers. So, it is prudent that engineers
> are thoughtful of what pipe fitters run into when design information
> are incomplete, incomprehensible, or sometimes downright ridiculous.
> Analysis, design rules, specifications, Codes, reports, and drawings
> are one side of the equation; Materials, fabrication, and
> installation are another.
> To become an experienced piping engineer you must understand problems
> and frustrations the project encounters during fabrication,
> installation, testing, and startup. Filed experience for engineers is
> invaluable.
Received on Fri Apr 25 22:52:00 2003
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