TABLE OF CONTENTS This chapter explains briefly the role of the piping engineer, who is responsible for the quality of piping material, fabrication, testing, and inspection in a project and the major activities such engineers are expected to perform. This individual can be employed by either the EPC (engineering, procurement, and construction) contractor or the operator/ end user.
The piping engineer, the individual responsible for creating the project piping classes and the numerous piping specifications necessary to fabricate, test, insulate, and paint the piping systems, is titled either the piping material engineer or the piping spec(ification) writer.
Whatever the title, the piping material engineer (PME) is a very important person within the Piping Design Group and should be dedicated to a project from the bid stage until the design phase has been completed. He or she should also be available during construction and through to mechanical completion.
The lead piping material engineer, the individual responsible for all piping engineering functions, usually reports directly to the project lead piping engineer, and depending on the size of the project, the lead piping material engineer may be assisted by a number of suitably qualified piping material engineers especially during the peak period of the project. This peak period is early in the job, while the piping classes are being developed and the first bulk inquiry requisitions are sent out to vendors.
The piping material...
