In-house inspections at YES Stainless International
YES Stainless International performs in-house inspections for stainless steel pipes and tubes, verifying ASTM compliance through chemical and mechanical testing, hydro or NDT, dimensional and surface checks, with EN 10204 3.1 traceability.
In-House Inspection & Testing
Our ISO 9001 in-house inspection program verifies stainless steel pipes and tubes to the requirements of ASTM A312, A213, A554, A249, A269, and A270. We control chemistry, mechanical properties, dimensions, surfaces, weld integrity, and leak tightness—with documented results, EN 10204 3.1 MTC, and export-ready packing for international buyers.
In-House Inspection Requirements (Manufacturing QA/QC)
| Inspection Item | A312 Pipe (Welded & Seamless) | A213 Seamless (Boiler/HX) | A554 Mechanical/Decorative | A249 Welded (Boiler/HX) | A269 Welded & Seamless | A270 Sanitary Tubing |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chemical analysis | Required | Required | Required | Required | Required | Required |
| PMI (Positive Material ID) | Optional (buyer-specified) | Optional | Optional | Optional | Optional | Often required |
| Tensile test | Required | Required | N/A | Required | Required | Required |
| Hardness test | Required | Required | N/A | Required | Required | Required |
| Flattening test | Required | Required | N/A | Required | Required | Required |
| Flaring test | Optional (seamless) | Required | N/A | Required | Seamless only | N/A |
| Flange test (welded) | N/A | N/A | N/A | Required | Required (welded) | N/A |
| Reverse-flattening (welded) | Required | N/A | N/A | Required | Required | Required if welded |
| Dimensional inspection | Required | Required | Required | Required | Required | Required |
| Surface/finish inspection | Required | Required | Required (brightness/finish) | Required | Required | Required (ID/OD smoothness) |
| Weld-bead handling | Optional | N/A | Not required | Cold-worked weld (required) | Cold-worked weld (required) | Bead removal/conditioning mandatory |
| Leak integrity (Hydro or ECT) | Required (Hydro or NDT) | Required (Hydro or NDT) | Optional | Required (Hydro or NDT) | Required (Hydro or NDT) | Required (Hydro or NDT) |
| ID surface roughness | Not specified | Not specified | Not specified | Not specified | Not specified | Mandatory (e.g., Ra 0.8/0.4 μm by grade) |
| Weld seam quality | Visual required | N/A (seamless) | Required | Required | Required | Required (sanitary) |
| Heat-treatment verification | Required | Required | Optional | Required | Optional | Required |
| Cleanliness inspection | Optional | Optional | N/A | Optional | Optional | Required (sanitary service) |
| Final visual examination | Required | Required | Required | Required | Required | Required |
What each standard expects
1. ASTM A312 — Industrial Stainless Steel Pipe (ASME B36.19M)
For pressure and general service lines in schedule sizes. Verification typically includes tensile, hardness, flattening, and Hydro or ECT; reverse-flattening applies to welded pipe and flaring may apply to seamless. Surfaces are checked for defects and heat treatment is confirmed.
2. ASTM A213 — Seamless Stainless Steel Tubes (Boiler/Heater/HX)
Seamless construction for higher temperature and pressure loops. Expect tensile, hardness, flaring and flattening, and Hydro or ECT, with strict dimensional control for coil/U-bend fabrication. Ideal where clean IDs and strong wall integrity matter.
3. ASTM A249 — Welded Heat-Exchanger/Boiler Stainless Steel Tubes
Built for tube-sheet expansion and thermal cycling. The weld must be cold-worked before final anneal; verification includes tensile, hardness, flattening, flaring, flange, and reverse-flattening, plus Hydro or ECT. Chosen for stable performance through temperature swings.
4. ASTM A269 — General/Instrumentation Stainless Steel Tubes
OD × wall tubing for plant utilities and instrumentation. Welded tubes require a cold-worked weld; common checks include tensile, hardness, flattening, reverse-flattening (welded), flange (welded), and Hydro or ECT. Suited to tight OD/ovality and clean ends.
5. ASTM A270 — Sanitary Stainless Steel Tubes (Food/Pharma/Dairy)
Hygienic duty with documented Ra targets and weld-bead removal/conditioning for welded tubes. Cleanliness, dimensional, and finish checks are recorded, with Hydro or ECT for integrity. Preferred where CIP/SIP and validated surface smoothness are required.
6. ASTM A554 — Mechanical/Decorative Stainless Steel Tube
Appearance-led applications, such as architectural and display work. Focus on surface finish quality, straightness, corner/squareness, and weld appearance; mechanical tests are not required by the spec. Use when visual uniformity is critical.
How we run inspections
- Sampling plan & ITP alignment. We test per your Inspection & Test Plan (ITP) and the ASTM standard, documenting sample sizes and frequency.
- Calibrated instruments. Micrometres, hardness testers, Ra gauges, ECT/Hydro rigs, and borescopes are calibrated on schedule, with records available.
- Defined acceptance criteria. Criteria for tensile, hardness, flattening/flange/reverse-flattening, and leak integrity are set per standard and PO; any tightened tolerances (OD, wall, ovality, Ra) are captured in the ITP.
- Traceability end-to-end. Heat/lot IDs follow the product from raw material through processing to finished bundle labels and reports.
- Issue containment & CAPA. Any nonconformity is quarantined; we run root-cause analysis and verify corrective/preventive actions before release.
What you receive with each order
- EN 10204 3.1 MTC (chemistry/mechanical) tied to heat/lot
- Dimensional report and test records (tensile, hardness, flattening/flange/reverse-flattening as applicable)
- Integrity test certificate — Hydrostatic or Eddy Current (ECT) per PO/ITP
- Surface/Ra reports for sanitary tubes (A270), with photos/borescope on request
- Packing & marking list with clear traceability; third-party inspection reports if specified
