All Piping Related Abbreviations

AFC is an abbreviation of Approved For Construction
AFCs are the final approved drawings that the contractor uses on the construction site to carry out the construction work. These drawings have undergone all necessary reviews, coordination, and approvals and are ready for actual construction.

ANSI is an abbreviation of American National Standards Institute.

API is an abbreviation of American Petroleum Institute.

ASME is an abbreviation of American Society of Mechanical Engineers.

ASTM is an abbreviation of American Society for Testing and Materials.

AWWA is an abbreviation of American Water Works Association.

BB is an abbreviation of Bolted Bonnet
it refers to a valve construction where the bonnet (cover) is secured to the valve body using bolts or stud bolts.

BBE is an abbreviation of Beveled Both Ends
Beveled Both Ends means that both ends of e.g. a pipe nipple are beveled.

BE is an abbreviation of Beveled Ends
Beveled Ends are applied to all diameters of buttweld pipes, flanges, fittings, valves etc.

BOM is an abbreviation of Bill Of Materials

BW is an abbreviation of Butt Weld(ing)

CMTR is an abbreviation of Certified Material Test Report

CSC is an abbreviation of Car Seal Closed
A car seal is a simple device used to lock or “seal” a valve in the open or closed position.

CSO is an abbreviation of Car Seal Open
A car seal is a simple device used to lock or “seal” a valve in the open or closed position.

CUI is an abbreviation of Corrosion Under Insulation

CUPS is an abbreviation of Corrosion Under Pipe Supports

EFW is an abbreviation of Electric Fusion Welding

EHS stands for Environment, Health, and Safety

ELL is an abbreviation of ELbow

ERW is an abbreviation of Electric Resistance Welded
Originally Electric Resistance Welded which contains a solid phase butt weld, was produced using resistance heating to make the longitudinal weld (ERW). Most pipe mills now use high frequency induction heating (HFI) for better control and consistency. However, the product is still often referred to as ERW pipe, even though the weld may have been produced by the HFI process.

ESV is an abbreviation of Emergency Shutdown Valve

FF is an abbreviation of Flat Face flange

FFS is an abbreviation of Fitness For Service

FoF is an abbreviation of Flange of Face.
This terminology is used when dimensions have to be given with respect to face of flange.

FFW is an abbreviation of Field Fit Weld
A field fit weld indicates that the designer has foreseen that the piping may need adjustment in the field so has added an extra length of pipe at a buttweld fitting or flange. The pipe end will be bevelled and welded on site after the installer determines the correct dimensions.

GMAW is an abbreviation of Gas Metal Arc Welding (MIG)

GTAW is an abbreviation of Gas Tungsten Arc Welding (TIG)

HAZ is an abbreviation of Heat-Affected Zone

The finished product from a manufacturer (the pipe or fitting mill), is typically traceable to a Heat Number (steel mill identification).

HSE stands for Health and Safety Executive

ISBL is an abbreviation of In Side Battery Limits
ISBL is functional-based and refers to equipment and other components that are solely dedicated to a single process whether or not the equipment is physically located within the geographical boundaries of the unit.

ISO is an abbreviation of ISOmetric (piping drawing)

ITP is an abbreviation of Inspection Test Plan
An Inspection Test Plan (ITP) is a commonly required document that you'll need to submit with your construction quality control plan. Whether you're working on a private sector or government contract, clients today all want to see your inspection test plan. They want to know exactly what inspections and tests you'll be forming to control quality on their project.

KSI is an abbreviation of Kilopound per Square Inch
which is used to measure pressure. It is actually equal to 1000 psi (pound-force per square inch/ lbf/in^2). psi is a British unit defined as the pound-force (force exerted by gravity on a British pound) exerted on an area of ​​one square inch. ksi is not widely used to measure gas pressure, but it is used primarily in materials science to measure things like tensile strength (maximum stress an object can withstand), which is measured using a large number of 'psi'.

LR is an abbreviation of Long Radius Elbow

MAOP is an abbreviation of Maximum Allowable Operating Pressure
is a pressure limit set, usually by a government body, which applies to compressed gas pressure vessels, pipelines, and storage tanks.

MAWP is an abbreviation of Maximum Allowable Working Pressure

MIG is an abbreviation of Metal Inert Gas

MOV is an abbreviation of Motor Operated Valve

MPI is an abbreviation of Magnetic Particle Inspection

MSS is an abbreviation of Manufacturers Standardization Society

MTO is an abbreviation of Material Take-Off

NDE is an abbreviation of Non Destructive Examination, also called Non Destructive Testing (NDT)

NPS is an abbreviation of Nominal Pipe Size

NPT is an abbreviation National Pipe Thread Tapered

OSBL is an abbreviation of Outside Side Battery Limits
OSBL refers to systems (equipment pieces and associated components) that support several units. Typical OSBL equipment includes cooling towers, water treatment facilities, tanks farms, etc.

OS&Y is an abbreviation of Outside Screw & Yoke
is a configuration and common with gate valves, but can also serve in globe valves.

PBE is an abbreviation of Plain Both Ends
Plain Both Ends means that both ends of e.g. a pipe nipple are plain.

PED is an abbreviation of Pressure Equipment Directive

PFD is an abbreviation of Process Flow Diagram

PI is a mathematical constant, approximately equal to 3.14159, that is the ratio of a circle's circumference to its diameter.

PMI is an abbreviation of Positive Material Identification

PREN is an abbreviation of Pitting Resistance Equivalent Number

PWHT is an abbreviation of Post Weld Heat Treatment

RF is an abbreviation of Raised Face
and designed for flanges.

RFC is an abbreviation of Released For Construction
RFC means that the release for construction (after Approved For Construction) is given...start the project.

RTJ is an abbreviation Ring Type Joint
ring type joints e.g. flanges have grooves into their faces and used whith steel ring gaskets.

SCH is an abbreviation of SCHedule
and in piping terms this indicates the wall thickness of a pipe fitting or flange.

SMAW is an abbreviation of Shielded Metal Arc Welding
Shielded Metal Arc Welding (Electrode) is a high quality, very high deposition rate welding process.

SMLS is an abbreviation of Seamless
and stands for pipes and fittings.

SMYS is an abbreviation of Specified Minimum Yield Strength
it stands for steel pipes manufactured in accordance with a stated specification. This is a commonly used term in the oil and gas industry for steel pipes under the jurisdiction of the US Department of Transportation.

SOL is an abbreviation of SockOLet
Sockolet® is a socket connection for branches and is a registered name by Bonney Forge Corporation.

SR is an abbreviation of Short Radius Elbow
Elbows are split into two groups which define the distance over which they change direction.

SST is an abbreviation of Stainless STeel

SW is an abbreviation of Socket Weld(ing)
and is a pipe attachment detail in which a pipe is inserted into a recessed area of a valve, fitting or flange.

TBE is an abbreviation of Threaded Both Ends
Treaded Both Ends means that both ends of e.g. a pipe nipple are threaded.

TIG is an abbreviation of Tungsten Inert Gas (welding)

ToFD is an abbreviation of Time of Flight Diffraction

TOL is an abbreviation of ThreadOLet
Threadolet® is a screwed connection for branches.

TOS is an abbreviation of Top Of Steel
which refers to the uppermost surface of a steel structure, commonly used in construction and engineering contexts.

WCB is an abbreviation of Wrough Carbon grade B
WCB is covered by ASTM A216 standard, which specification covers carbon steel castings for valves.

WOL is an abbreviation of WeldOLet.
Weldolet® is the most common of all branch connections and is a registered name by Bonney Forge Corporation

WPQ is an abbreviation of Welder Performance Qualification

WPS is an abbreviation of Welding Procedure Specification

WT is an abbreviation of Wall Thickness.
The Wall Thickness in piping terms is defined as schedule (SCH or S) and stands for the wall thickness of pipes, fittings, and some flanges.

XH is an abbreviation of EXtra Heavy
and stands for the wall thickness (schedule) of pipes, fittings, and some flanges.

XS is an abbreviation of EXtra Strong
and stands for the wall thickness (schedule) of pipes, fittings, and some flanges.

XXH is an abbreviation of Double Extra Heavy
and stands for the wall thickness (schedule) of pipes, fittings, and some flanges.

XXS is an abbreviation of Double EXtra Strong
and stands for the wall thickness (schedule) of pipes, fittings, and some flanges.