CDA regularly receives inquiries regarding methods and procedures required to qualify brazers for installation of noninflammable medical gas systems. The specifications documentation has been prepared in a response to these questions and satisfies the requirements of the National Fire Protection Association standard, NFPA 99 - Standard for Health Care Facilities, 1993 Edition .
Chapter 4 of this standard, Gas and Vacuum Systems, Section 4-4.1.4.2 requires brazing procedures and brazer performance to be qualified. These qualifications must comply with either Section IX, Welding and Brazing Qualification of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) Boiler & Pressure Vessel Code, or American Welding Society (AWS) B2.2 Standard for Brazing Procedure & Performance Qualification. Section 4-4.1.4.2 of NFPA 99-93 lists modifications to these standards that must also be considered.
This document contains two Brazing Procedure Specification formats. One complies with ASME and the other with AWS requirements. 11/2" Type L, OXY/ACR copper tube was used in both procedures and the necessary qualification documentation and records required to qualify these procedures are included. The included brazing documentation was developed by CDA and tested by PRL Industries, Inc., an ASME-recognized test laboratory.
The installing contractor has the option to use either the ASME or AWS requirements to qualify brazers and should choose the appropriate documentation. To accept these specifications for use and to meet the requirements of NFPA, the contractor shall sign and date the Brazing Procedure Specification and its supporting qualifications prior to use.
It is the responsibility of each contractor that decides to use either of these Brazing Procedure Specification and the supporting qualification records to have the required tests conducted to qualify each brazer accordingly. It is also the contractor's responsibility to assure that these specification meet any additional requirements of the referencing document. Suggested forms for noninflammable medical gas applications in both the ASME and AWS formats are included in appendices for this purpose. The contractor shall maintain a signed and dated record of the Brazing Procedure Specifications, Procedure Qualification Records and the resulting Brazer Performance Qualifications and shall assume responsibility for representation of any liabilities and warranties implied. CDA assumes no responsibility or liability of any kind in connection with the use of this document and makes no representations or warranties of any kind hereby.
The documentation consists of the following:
- Brazing Procedure Specifications (BPS) - the document that specifies the required brazing variables for a specific application.
- Procedure Qualification Record (PQR) - a record of brazing variables and conditions used to produce an acceptable test brazement and the results of tests conducted on the brazement to qualify a brazing procedure specification.
- Brazing Performance Qualification Record (BPQR or BQR) - a record of the brazing conditions used to produce an acceptable test brazement and the results of the tests conducted on the brazement to qualify a brazer.
For information regarding CDA's brazing procedures, contact a CDA Project Manager.
To preview the table of contents of this publication, please click here. To get a copy of the complete document, you can order through the CDA - please visit CDA's Publications page for Soldering/Brazing/Welding publications and request Publication A4014.
