South Carolina Pressure and Process Piping Contractor Examination

Which description matches the 6G pipe-welding qualification position?

• AThe pipe is rolled on a horizontal axis so the puddle stays in the flat position
• BThe pipe stands vertical and the groove is welded as a horizontal bead around the circumf…
• CThe pipe is fixed with its axis at 45 degrees and is not rotated while the welder works a…
• DThe pipe is fixed horizontally and only the top quadrant is welded

What is the 5G pipe-welding position?

• APipe axis horizontal and fixed; the welder travels around the joint through overhead, ver…
• BPipe axis horizontal and rolled so every pass stays flat
• CPipe axis vertical and fixed with a single horizontal weld
• DPipe axis at 45 degrees and rolled toward the operator

Why is an E6010 electrode commonly selected for the open-root pass on carbon-steel process pipe?

• AIt is a low-hydrogen fill rod that must stay in a holding oven and produces a heavy, slow…
• BIt is a cellulose-covered electrode with a deep, digging arc that can hold a keyhole thro…
• CIt is rated only for fillet welds on galvanized sheet metal
• DIt must be used with short-circuit GMAW transfer on AC

How should opened E7018 low-hydrogen electrodes be stored on a process-piping job?

• AIn a heated holding oven or rod pot at the temperature required by the manufacturer and t…
• BLaid on the ground next to the pipe so they stay at ambient shop temperature
• CSoaked in water to keep the covering flexible
• DFrozen overnight to drive moisture out of the flux

Before welding a socket-weld joint on B31.1 or B31.3 piping, how far should the pipe be withdrawn from the socket shoulder?

• AThe pipe should be jammed hard against the shoulder with zero gap
• BApproximately 1/16 in (about 1.5 mm) to leave an expansion gap
• C1/2 in so the fillet can flow into the socket
• DThe full socket depth so the pipe never enters the fitting

When making an open-root GTAW butt weld on austenitic stainless process pipe, what is the primary reason to purge the inside of the pipe with inert gas?

• ATo cool the weld so interpass temperature never matters
• BTo keep the root and heat-affected inside surface from oxidizing (sugaring) and losing co…
• CTo replace the need for filler metal on every pass
• DTo allow E7018 to be used on the root without an oven

Which polarity is normally used for E6010 open-root SMAW on carbon-steel pipe?

• ADCEN (electrode negative, straight polarity)
• BDCEP (electrode positive, reverse polarity)
• CAC only, with no DC option
• DThree-phase AC from a mill motor

What is the main purpose of a consumable insert in a GTAW pipe butt joint?

• ATo serve as a permanent internal alignment ring that stays in the bore after welding
• BTo provide a pre-placed, matching-composition filler at the root so the root reinforcemen…
• CTo replace the need for any purge gas on carbon steel or stainless
• DTo allow the joint to be welded from one side with E7018 only

Why do many carbon-steel and chrome-moly pipe WPS documents require preheat before welding?

• ATo make the flux on E6010 electrodes wetter
• BTo slow the cooling rate, drive off moisture, and reduce the risk of hydrogen-assisted cr…
• CTo raise the completed weld above the design temperature so PWHT can be skipped on every…
• DTo expand the pipe enough that no root opening is needed

What is the correct way to use tack welds on a process-pipe butt joint?

• ATacks may be left as-welded even if they are cracked, because the fill passes will cover…
• BTacks should be made with a qualified procedure, feathered or removed as required by the…
• CTacks must always be made with a cutting torch so they melt out automatically
• DTacks are prohibited on every B31.3 joint

How does self-shielded flux-cored arc welding (FCAW-S) differ from gas-metal arc welding (GMAW) on piping?

• AFCAW-S uses a tubular wire whose flux generates a shielding gas, so an external cylinder…
• BFCAW-S can only be used on aluminum sheet
• CGMAW never uses a shielding gas, while FCAW-S always does
• DBoth processes are prohibited by B31.3 for every fluid service

What is the standard end preparation on a typical ASME B16.25 butt-weld bevel for common wall thicknesses of process pipe?

• AA square cut with no land and no included angle
• BAn approximately 37-1/2 degree bevel with a small root face (land), unless the WPS states…
• CA 90-degree J-prep on every schedule of carbon steel
• DA 10-degree bevel used only for socket-weld fittings

When are threaded joints generally a poor choice on pressure or process piping?

• AOn small-bore, low-pressure Category D water where the spec allows threads
• BOn cyclic, vibrating, corrosive, or high-temperature/high-pressure services where leak ti…
• COn instrument air takeoffs specifically listed as threaded in the line class
• DOn NPS 1/2 drain connections that the owner has accepted as threaded

Where is orbital GTAW most often specified on process piping?

• AOn high-purity, hygienic, or stainless lines that need a repeatable, fully purged autogen…
• BOn every large-bore buried carbon-steel steam main
• COnly on cast-iron soil pipe hubs
• DAs a replacement for torqueing flange bolts

A chrome-moly steam-pipe WPS lists a maximum interpass temperature of 600°F. What should the welder do if a contact pyrometer reads 650°F after the last fill pass?

• AContinue welding immediately so the heat is not wasted
• BStop depositing weld metal and allow the joint to cool below the maximum interpass before…
• CQuench the joint with water so work can resume in a few seconds
• DIgnore the reading because interpass limits apply only to the root pass

Why do many process specifications prohibit permanent internal backing rings in B31.3 piping?

• ABacking rings make radiographic examination impossible on every joint
• BA leftover ring creates a crevice, disturbs flow, and can trap corrosion products or proc…
• CBacking rings are required by B31.3 on every Category D water line
• DA backing ring replaces the need for a consumable insert and a purge

Per ASME B31.3 Figure 328.5.2, the minimum socket-weld fillet size is based on which dimension?

• AThe outside diameter of the matching flange
• BApproximately 1.09 times the nominal pipe wall thickness (or the hub limitation shown on…
• CTwice the socket depth, regardless of wall thickness
• DThe diameter of the hanger rod on the nearest support

Which condition is the most common cause of porosity in a pipe weld?

• AA perfectly dry, well-purged joint welded to the WPS
• BMoisture, oil, mill scale, or wind that contaminates the shielding or the molten puddle
• CUsing the specified filler metal listed on the WPS
• DMaintaining the required preheat and interpass temperatures

What is the principal reason a WPS may require postweld heat treatment (PWHT) on chrome-moly or thick carbon-steel pipe welds?

• ATo paint the weld so it matches the adjacent insulation jacket
• BTo reduce residual stress and soften hard heat-affected zones so the joint meets toughnes…
• CTo replace hydrostatic testing on every B31.3 system
• DTo convert stainless steel to carbon steel

On an ASME Section IX / B31 piping job, what is the difference between a WPS and a PQR?

• AThe WPS is the shop packing list; the PQR is the trucking bill of lading
• BThe WPS is the written welding procedure the welder must follow; the PQR is the supportin…
• CThe PQR is hung on the pipe as a traveler; the WPS is only used for radiography
• DThey are two names for the same welder qualification card

What is the center-to-end takeoff of a standard long-radius (LR) 90-degree butt-weld elbow on NPS 6 pipe?

• A4-1/2 in
• B6 in
• C9 in
• D12 in

A straight run of NPS 8 pipe is 14 ft 6 in center-to-center between two long-radius 90-degree elbows. What cut length of pipe is required between the elbows?

• A14 ft 6 in
• B13 ft 6 in
• C12 ft 6 in
• D11 ft 6 in

How does a short-radius 90-degree elbow differ from a long-radius 90-degree elbow?

• AThe short-radius center-to-end is 1 × NPS; the long-radius center-to-end is 1.5 × NPS
• BThe short-radius elbow is always twice the wall thickness of the matching pipe
• CLong-radius elbows may be used only on copper tubing
• DShort-radius elbows have no butt-weld bevel

A 45-degree offset has a rise (offset) of 18 in. What is the travel length of the offset pipe, ignoring fitting takeoffs?

• A18 in
• BAbout 21-1/4 in
• CAbout 25-7/16 in
• D36 in

A rolling 45-degree offset has a 12 in set and a 9 in roll. What is the travel of the offset pipe (ignore fitting takeoffs)?

• A12 in
• B15 in
• CAbout 21-1/4 in
• D27 in

Which flange type is preferred for severe cyclic or high-temperature process service because the hub matches the pipe wall and the butt weld can be radiographed?

• ASlip-on flange
• BWeld-neck flange
• CLap-joint flange used without a stub end
• DThreaded companion flange on chrome-moly steam

On a piping isometric, a flanged gate valve is given a face-to-face dimension of 11-1/2 in. How should that dimension be used in a takeoff?

• AIgnore it and always use 12 in for every valve
• BTreat 11-1/2 in as the raised-face to raised-face length of the valve and subtract it fro…
• CAdd 11-1/2 in to each adjoining elbow takeoff
• DUse it only to size the hanger rod

A horizontal pump suction line reduces from NPS 6 to NPS 4. Which reducer orientation is used to keep the top of the line flat and avoid a vapor pocket?

• AConcentric reducer with the cone centered on the pipe axis
• BEccentric reducer with the flat side on top (FOT)
• CEccentric reducer with the flat side on the bottom (FOB)
• DA reducing flange installed upside down with no orientation rule

When cutting threaded pipe for a screwed fitting, what must the takeoff include besides the end-to-end measurement?

• ANothing; threaded pipe is always cut to the face-to-face dimension of the fitting
• BThe thread engagement (makeup) that will disappear into the fitting, taken from the Pipe…
• CAn extra 6 in on every size so the threader has scrap
• DThe full length of a matching weld-neck hub

What is the center-to-end takeoff of a standard long-radius 45-degree elbow on NPS 8 pipe?

• A3-3/4 in
• B5 in
• C8 in
• D12 in

A 2-in vent must come off the top of an 8-in header. Which branch fitting is the usual butt-weld choice when a reducing tee is not used?

• AA weldolet (O-let) of the correct size and class, set on the header centerline
• BA threaded coupling welded to the side of the pipe with no hole saw
• CA slip-on flange laid on the insulation jacket
• DA short-radius 180-degree return used as a branch

Before a flange is bolted to a pump or vessel nozzle, what alignment check matters most?

• AThe flange faces are parallel, bolt holes line up without springing the pipe, and there i…
• BThe pipe is pulled into place with a come-along after half the bolts are tight
• COnly two bolts need to engage; the rest can be left out
• DAlignment is never checked on weld-neck flanges

What does 'two-hole' a flange mean on a vertical pipe run?

• ADrill two extra holes in the flange OD for a chain fall
• BRotate the flange so two bolt holes straddle the vertical centerline, equally spaced left…
• CUse only two bolts on a Class 300 joint
• DInstall the gasket with two overlapping rings

An NPS 6 spool is 10 ft 0 in centerline-of-elbow to face-of-flange. It uses one LR 90 and one weld-neck flange whose length-through-hub is 3-1/2 in. What pipe cut length is required (ignore weld gaps and gasket)?

• A10 ft 0 in
• B9 ft 8-1/2 in
• C8 ft 11-1/2 in
• D7 ft 6 in

Under South Carolina law, when must a process-piping excavator notify SC811 before breaking ground?

• AAt least three full working days before excavation, not counting the day the ticket is pl…
• BFifteen minutes before the backhoe starts, by texting a coworker
• COnly if the trench will be deeper than 20 ft
• DNever; process contractors are exempt from 811

A marked 8-in gas line has a known diameter. What is the South Carolina tolerance zone on each side of the designated centerline?

• A6 in, measured from the paint stripe only
• B24 in plus one-half the known facility diameter (here 24 in + 4 in = 28 in) on each side
• C15 ft, the subaqueous clearance, on every land job
• DNo zone is required after the marks appear

On an SC811 locate, which APWA color marks gas, oil, steam, or other petroleum/gaseous facilities?

• ARed
• BYellow
• CBlue
• DGreen

Per OSHA 1926.652, when must a trench have a protective system (sloping, benching, shoring, or a shield) unless it is entirely in stable rock?

• AOnly when the trench is deeper than 20 ft
• BAt 5 ft of depth or greater, unless a competent person finds no cave-in potential in a sh…
• CNever on a process-piping job
• DOnly if employees will sleep in the trench

A 6-ft-deep pipe trench is 60 ft long. What OSHA 1926.651 egress arrangement is required?

• ANo ladder is required until the trench reaches 20 ft
• BA stairway, ladder, or ramp in trenches 4 ft deep or more, so that no worker travels more…
• COne ladder at one end of the 60-ft run is always enough
• DWorkers may climb the spoil pile instead of a ladder

How far back from the edge of an excavation must spoil, equipment, or other materials be kept unless a retaining device is used?

• AAt least 2 ft (0.61 m)
• B6 in
• CFlush with the trench wall so the spoil can be used as a step
• DThere is no OSHA distance rule for spoil

At what height does OSHA 1926 Subpart M generally require fall protection for construction workers on unprotected sides and edges?

• A4 ft, the general-industry walking-working-surface trigger
• B6 ft
• C20 ft, the same depth that requires an engineered trench box
• DFall protection is never required on a piping rack

Before entering a permit-required confined space to weld inside a vessel, in which order must the atmosphere be tested?

• AToxics first, then oxygen, then combustibles
• BOxygen first, then combustible gas (LEL), then toxic gases and vapors
• CCombustibles only; oxygen can be assumed to be 20.9%
• DNo test is required if the vessel was rinsed with water

A fitter is about to break a flanged joint on a process line that may still be pressurized. What is the required energy-control step?

• ACrack the joint slightly to see if anything comes out, then keep going
• BApply lockout/tagout, isolate and depressurize the line, and verify zero energy before th…
• CAsk a helper to stand by the pump start button
• DRemove the bolts on the bottom first so any liquid drains on the fitter's boots

How must oxygen cylinders be stored relative to fuel-gas cylinders under OSHA 1926.350?

• AStacked together on their sides so the hoses stay connected
• BSeparated by at least 20 ft, or by a 5-ft-high fire-resistant barrier with at least a 1/2…
• CInside the same closed gang box with oily rags
• DWith the valve caps removed so the cylinders are ready to use