ASME Standards

No, you pretty much have to pay for ASME and API standards... I use IHS as my supplier.

I agree, "there must be some free ones". I've not found one yet!

I think you'll have to pay the price. You might be able to find a technical library that owns the standards and copy what you need. Usually such standards have much more information than one needs to do a job.

I own ASME Section VIII Div 1 and I use about 10% of it ,if that. But I'm a small shop building very special vessels.

Obtaining the information from a technical library is likely the most cost effective approach. I would assume that is "legal" as the library had to pay for the files.

I often question why the ASME and other organizations charge for this information as most of it is provided gratis to them by members of their organization.

Sure Doc, but there are plenty of costs associated with running an organization like the ASME or API and in publishing standards, and that cost is offset by the money flowing in from the standards.

Those standards are the intellectual property of the API and ASME, why would you expect to find these standards for free? If you do find free copies, then using them would be wrong anyway.

Good point but there are copies for reference in libraries and reviewing the specification to see if you can comply or want to comply doesn't seem unethical.

If one is building to any of these codes as a part of a business enterprise you should certainly purchase it, but if it is referenced in a specification as they often are, I don't think it is unethical to read it for reference.

Engineering companies and some customers are famous for what I refer to as "engineering mumbles" where rather than be specific about their requirements, they just shotgun by throwing out "codes" to which the seller must adhere.

Agreed Morgan, but library copies are paid for by the library. I was referring to the use of a "free" copy found on the internet.

Yes Steve S. , I agree with you, it is "Intellectual Property" and you have to pay for it. But when you can help the beginners with a free copy may be outdated, I think it will be a favor that will help them very extremely. And I think when those beginners become a persons with high experience they have to buy the updated copy. In this case you helped both the beginners and the codes & standards societies/associations. Just an opinion.

Very good......Abdel Halim Galala:....

When I set up a company to carry the "U", "R" and "PP" stamp, the company wanted me to develop the program in house, and to get direction such as WPS type of formats and such. And needed documentation. It was like talking to a wall, fortunately when I was looking into a securing AI one of them offered me temporary use of a WPS standard, while others offered to set the company up for $25,000.00. I secured them as the AI soon after. This was over 12 yo ago.

phoenix911

I agree that using free is unethical.

As the standards are copy writted, even the technical libraries are not supposed to give the copies to ay body free or on payment.

The standards is a big business. Thus, the standards formating bodies will never give those free, even if they are running the organisation on memberships.

On the other hand few standards are freely available on Internet. Those are Factory Mutual Standards. It is good of them that they do not run their organisation on sale of standards.

You can get portions of the codes via vendors web sites that sell ASME rated materials such as flange bolting and sizing tables, fitting dimensions etc. But if you are trying to design to the code you should buy the sections of the code you need. If it is piping that you are interested in then buy B31.1 and B31.3, sec II for the materials, and possibly sec.IX for the welding requirements. I spend over 7 k for the books I use in the paper mill. On the other hand when I design a bare min system for a company just wanting to to acquire an R-stamp for repairs and alterations they may not need all of the sections and it can be somewhat cheaper.

pipewelder

friend,you can go to http://www.constructarea.org there have many cheap AWS,ASME,ASTM CODE can download

Thanks Jackchen. Great site. GA

techstreet also has these availablle

But techstreet is very expensive more than www.constructarea.org !

Techstreet sales it at ASME list price, and the site suggested by you sales at almost 25% of list price. ASME site doesn't have soft copies available. The site suggested by you has all in pdf format, downloadable. Great site. Unfortunately, few of the ASME standards are not there at this site.

and the reason why asme does not have electronic version is the shops authorize to carry the stamp must have a hard copy of the standard, because it is continuely revised and appended and the authorized inspector can see at a glance if you have the latest revision pages because the updated pages have different colors. And you automaticly receive them, and of course you pay for that service.

and by the way, one has to question the ethics if those cheaper copies are legit, because asme owns the standard.

ASME has electronic versions, but not separately available. Those are online versions, available with hard copies. Regarding Stamp of authorized copy... All other standards forming bodies, provide e versions, which come along with your name printed as authorized copy. (For example... IEC). The problem of latest copy exists with all standards, but that is responsibility of user to keep latest edition. Inspectors are always aware about what is latest. Thus, there is no need to have different color copy, which ASME follows. It is just ASME way. No very great advantage.

I could be wrong, for it has been awhile.......

When the AI comes into the shop to ensure you are following your WPS. The requirement that you are using the latest version readliy available and you can supply that on demand by the AI as proof you are using the latest version with out even looking at the standards. The AI can just look at the reference and he knows the latest addendums are pink, or blue, when he sees them in you binders.

That may have been the local AI reason as told to me.

What I don't understand, is how can any other reseller sell cheaper that ASME's own material than ASME

Thanks phoenix

That practice of pink, blue is still there. My point is ASME can also provide pdf with proper name stamps as others like IEC and ASTM are doing.

I am also surprised, how some other site openly sale the same standards at much less price.

If you not find some asme code in the www.constructarea.org

you can ask them .generally speaking they can find any one you need!

you can go to www.standardshop.org

there sale a lot of asme aws api standard and so one .can immediately download,and very cheap low price!