Most heat exchanger disputes do not start in service; they start in the inspection file. Missing radiographs, a hydrotest certificate without a date, material certificates that do not match the stamped heat numbers, hardness records that were never signed. These are the reasons shipments are held at port and final payments are delayed.
Yuhong Group has therefore standardised third party inspection (TPI) and NDT documentation as a default part of every heat exchanger delivery, not as a paid option. Clients who nominate BV, TUV, SGS, Intertek or Lloyds register a witness scope; clients who do not still receive a complete inspection dossier so that their own QA department can audit the unit remotely.
| Stage | Activity | Typical Witness |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Material incoming check | certificate review, PMI |
| 2 | Fit up and dimensional | BV / TUV / SGS |
| 3 | Welding and NDT | RT film review |
| 4 | Hydrotest | pressure hold, gauge check |
| 5 | Final and packing | painting, marking, crate photos |
For a refinery or power plant buyer, an inspection dossier is the difference between a commissioning date that holds and one that slips. For distributors and trading companies, it is the difference between a smooth customs clearance and a container sitting in port while a client asks for documents that were never produced.
In practice, the two questions we hear most from buyers are whether the exchanger was actually hydrotested and whether the third party inspector was independent. Both are answered by the same document set: a signed hydrotest certificate with gauge readings, and an inspection release note issued by the nominated agency rather than by the manufacturer. Yuhong Group provides both as standard, including the inspector's release note where TPI is nominated.
NDT and TPI scope can be tailored to API 660, PED or client specific specifications. Buyers are invited to send their inspection and documentation requirements with the enquiry so the scope and cost are clear before the order is placed, rather than discovered at shipment.
A standard dossier contains ASME design calculations, EN 10204 3.1 material certificates traced to stamped heat numbers, WPS and PQR with welder qualifications, RT, UT, PT and MT reports, the hydrotest certificate with gauge readings, and as-built drawings. Photographs and a packing list are included so that remote audits can be completed without a site visit.
Yes. BV, TUV, SGS, Intertek or Lloyds can attend material incoming checks, fit up and dimensional inspection, welding and NDT review, hydrotest and final packing, with the release note issued by the inspection agency rather than the manufacturer, and witness point notification issued seven days before each stage.
The release note is issued by the inspection agency (BV, TUV, SGS, Intertek or Lloyds) rather than by the manufacturer, and the inspector's stamp, name, date and accreditation number appear on every page, so the certificate can be checked against the issuing body's register.
