The words on the purchase order.

Austenitic stainless steels with molybdenum for better corrosion resistance. 316L has lower carbon to reduce sensitization after welding.

The American Petroleum Institute, publisher of standards for the oil and gas industry, including valve standards such as API 600, 602 and 6D.

The specification for pipeline and piping valves: gate, ball, plug and check valves used in pipeline service.

The American Society of Mechanical Engineers, publisher of codes and standards such as B31.3 (process piping), B16.5 (flanges) and B36.10M (pipe).

The standard for metallic gaskets for pipe flanges: ring-joint, spiral-wound and jacketed gaskets.

The standard for valves with flanged, threaded and welding ends. It sets pressure-temperature ratings and covers dimensions, materials, examination, testing and marking.

The standard for pipe flanges and flanged fittings from NPS 1/2 to NPS 24, in classes 150 to 2500.

ASTM International, publisher of material specifications such as A105 (forged carbon steel), A106 (seamless pipe) and A193 (bolting).

The specification for carbon steel forgings for piping components, widely used for forged flanges, fittings and valves.

The specification for seamless carbon steel pipe for high-temperature service, in Grades A, B and C.

Quenched and tempered chromium-molybdenum alloy steel stud bolting for high-temperature and high-pressure service, used with A194 2H nuts.

Carbon steel forgings with notch toughness requirements for low-temperature piping components.

A quarter-turn valve with a bored ball that gives fast isolation and tight shutoff.

A pipe or fitting end cut at an angle, usually 37.5°, to prepare it for butt welding.

A single sheet that compares every supplier's offer line by line on price, delivery, validity, Incoterm and exceptions.

A carrier's document that acts as a receipt for the goods and as evidence of the contract of carriage. A negotiable B/L also controls the goods.

A solid flange with no bore, used to close the end of a line or a nozzle.

A wrought fitting, such as an elbow, tee, reducer or cap, with beveled ends that is welded to the pipe. Dimensions are covered by ASME B16.9.

A quarter-turn valve with a disc that rotates in the line. It is compact and light in large sizes.

A rigid structure, such as a ladder or trough, that supports power and instrument cables along a route.

A refractory dry mix that is mixed with water and cast or gunned into place, where it sets as a single mass.

A very light, fibrous insulation supplied as blanket, board or modules, used in high-temperature linings. Handle it under occupational exposure rules.

A supplier's written statement that the goods meet the order or a named specification. It does not necessarily include test results.

A document that states the country where goods were made, which customs may need to apply duty rates or trade agreements.

A self-acting valve that opens with forward flow and closes to stop reverse flow. Common types are swing, lift, dual-plate and piston.

The review of each offer's price, payment terms, Incoterm, delivery date, validity and warranty on a like-for-like basis.

The seller's bill for the goods, stating parties, descriptions, quantities, unit prices, currency and Incoterm. Customs uses it to assess duties.

A tube or channel that protects and routes electrical wiring.

A valve with an actuator that adjusts flow automatically in response to a controller signal.

Extra wall thickness that the designer adds to cover metal loss over the service life.

A licensed agent who prepares and files import or export declarations and arranges customs clearance.

The metric designation of pipe size. NPS 2, 4, 6 and 8 correspond to DN 50, 100, 150 and 200.

A stainless steel with a mixed austenite and ferrite structure, giving higher strength and better chloride resistance than 304 or 316.

The European standard that defines types of inspection documents for metallic products: 2.1, 2.2, 3.1 and 3.2.

Tracking an open purchase order through manufacture, testing and release so that delays are found while they can still be recovered.

A test of finished equipment at the manufacturer's works, witnessed by the buyer, before shipment.

Full container load: one shipper fills a container. Less than container load: the cargo shares a container with other shippers' goods.

A shaped brick of fireclay or high-alumina material, laid with mortar to form a refractory lining.

A flange face that is flat across its full width, used with a full-face gasket.

A company that arranges transport, documents and handling of shipments on behalf of a shipper or buyer.

A valve whose opening matches the pipe bore, so it adds little restriction to flow and permits pigging.

A device that senses flammable or toxic gas and signals an alarm when concentration passes a set level.

A linear-motion valve that isolates flow with a wedge or gate. It has low pressure drop when open and is not for throttling.

A linear-motion valve with a plug and seat that regulates flow and shuts off tightly, at the cost of higher pressure drop.

Placing refractory by spraying it onto a surface with a gun, used for large areas and repairs.

An area where flammable gas, vapor or dust may be present, so electrical equipment must be certified for it.

The identifier of one melt of metal. Items made from the melt carry the number and the MTR reports its analysis.

A hexagonal nut thicker and wider than a standard hex nut. ASTM A194 specifies grades such as 2H and 2HM for flange bolting.

A hold point stops work until the buyer or inspector releases it. At a witness point the buyer may attend, but work can continue if they do not.

An internationally standardized commodity code that customs authorities use to classify goods for duties and statistics. Countries extend it beyond six digits.

A pressure test with water at a pressure set by the code or specification to check strength and leak-tightness.

ICC trade terms, such as FCA, FOB and DAP, that allocate tasks, costs and risk between seller and buyer in an international sale.

A lightweight castable with low density and low thermal conductivity, used as a backup layer or protected hot face.

A document that lists each inspection and test, the acceptance standard, and whether it is a witness or a hold point.

An enclosure where cables are joined or terminated. In hazardous areas it must carry a suitable protection rating.

The time from placing an order to receiving the goods, including manufacture, testing and transport.

A butt-weld elbow whose centerline radius is 1.5 times the NPS, giving a gentler bend and lower pressure drop than a short radius elbow.

The engineering document that states what to buy: item descriptions, quantities, specifications and the date needed on site.

The manufacturer's certificate of chemistry, mechanical properties and heat treatment for a heat of metal, linked to the items by heat number.

The standard for materials in hydrogen sulfide (H2S) environments in oil and gas production. It limits hardness and restricts material choices to resist sulfide stress cracking.

Examination methods that check material or welds without damaging them: radiography, ultrasonic, magnetic particle and liquid penetrant testing.

A small valve with a tapered stem and fine thread for precise control of low flows, common on instrument lines.

The North American designation for pipe size. The number is a label; below NPS 14 the outside diameter is larger than the NPS number.

The period during which a supplier's quoted price and terms remain open for acceptance.

The measured outer diameter of a pipe. It is fixed for each NPS across all schedules.

A document that lists the contents of each package or crate with quantities, weights and dimensions, used to check goods on receipt.

A prefabricated section of pipe with fittings and flanges, made in a shop to a drawing and installed as a unit.

A check, usually with a handheld analyzer, that the alloy of an item matches the specification.

Equipment worn to reduce exposure to hazards, such as hard hats, safety footwear, gloves, masks and eye protection.

A dimensionless rating label for flanges and valves, such as Class 300. The allowable pressure falls as temperature rises.

A safety device that opens at a set pressure to release fluid and protect equipment from overpressure, then reseats.

A closed container designed to hold fluid at a pressure different from the surroundings, built to a code such as ASME Section VIII.

The buyer's binding order to a supplier, stating items, prices, terms, specifications, documents and delivery.

Controlled heating of a welded part after welding to relieve residual stress and temper the heat-affected zone, as the code or specification requires.

A flange face with a raised ring inside the bolt circle where the gasket seats.

A fitting that joins pipes of different sizes. A concentric reducer keeps the centerline; an eccentric reducer keeps one side flat.

A non-metallic material that keeps its strength and shape at high temperature and resists heat, abrasion and chemical attack.

A metal or ceramic support fixed to the shell that holds a monolithic lining in place against gravity, vibration and thermal movement.

The first controlled heating of a new lining that removes water slowly so steam does not crack or spall it.

A document that asks suppliers to propose a solution, so approach and capability are evaluated along with price.

A document sent to suppliers asking for price, delivery and terms for a defined item to a defined specification.

A flange with a machined groove that seats a metal ring gasket, used for high pressure and temperature.

A test of installed equipment on site to confirm it works as specified.

A designation such as 40 or 80 that sets the nominal wall thickness of pipe for a given NPS.

A document that describes a chemical or material's hazards, handling, storage and emergency measures.

Pipe made without a longitudinal weld, by piercing and rolling or extruding a solid billet.

A heat exchanger in which one fluid flows through tubes and another flows around them inside a cylindrical shell.

A flange that slides over the pipe and is fillet welded inside and outside. It is easier to fit than a weld neck flange.

Service in which the fluid contains hydrogen sulfide (H2S) at levels that can cause sulfide stress cracking in susceptible materials.

A gasket of V-shaped metal strip wound with soft filler, with a centering ring and optionally an inner ring. ASME B16.20 covers it.

A fully threaded rod used with a nut at each end to clamp a flanged joint.

The review of each offer against the technical specification: material, standard, dimensions, testing and documents.

A protective tube installed in a pipe or vessel that houses a temperature sensor so it can be removed without opening the process.

Inspection by an independent agency named by the purchaser, usually at the manufacturer's works before shipment.

The internal parts of a valve that contact the flow: seat, disc or wedge, and stem. Trim material is specified separately from the body.

The thickness of the pipe wall. It sets pressure capacity and, with the OD, the bore.

A flange with a tapered hub that is butt welded to the pipe. It suits high pressure, high temperature and cyclic service.