A safe and comprehensive program should be utilized to manage existing equipment such as pressure vessels, piping and storage tanks. The program should include code documentation, inspection intervals and engineering evaluation of the inspections. Detailed procedures can help the inspections and/or repairs be more efficient and limit production downtime.

We can assist with evaluating how much of this service you are required by law to have, and what extra measures you should take to improve safety or reduce equipment downtime.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is Mechanical Integrity (MI)?
MI involves the assurance of quality, maintenance, and on-going integrity of critical process equipment. MI helps prevent the consequences of catastrophic releases that may result from equipment failure. MI is one of the key elements to OSHA’s Process Safety Management (PSM) program.

What is the goal of MI and how is it accomplished?
To ensure that critical process equipment and components are fabricated, installed, inspected, tested, repaired and maintained properly by qualified personnel. It can be accomplished with policies, procedures, and reviews designed to proactively manage the ongoing integrity of equipment and engineered systems.

What type of equipment is covered by MI?

• Storage Tanks

• Pressure Vessels

• Relief Systems

• Control Systems

• Pumps

• Motors

HunterBane performs the needed calculations to size pressure relief valves, conservation vents, or rupture disks to prevent an over pressurization of your critical process equipment. Our designs are based on API, ASME, NFPA, and IIAR codes. Contact us when your project is for new construction or alteration of an existing process. Pressure safety is required for all covered equipment in OSHA’s PSM Standard.

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Our services include:

• Reviewing P&ID's to determine the Worst Credible Scenario

• Sizing the device so that it can relieve the full capacity required

• Sizing the discharge piping to minimize the back pressure for the relief valve to maintain the required capacity

• Sizing headers where multiple reliefs are venting to a common header, such as refrigerant gases or hazardous chemicals

• Providing the specification for the device for ease in ordering

We have experience with design of equipment such as pumps, vessels, pressure relief systems, piping and storage tanks. We can support your need for code compliance with alterations or modifications of pressure systems.

Our expertise in the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) and American Petroleum Institute (API) codes can provide you with safe, efficient answers to your design or weld repairs.

For designs that extend beyond normal code design, we also provide Finite Element Analysis (FEA) services.  By carefully minimizing material thickness, FEA services can significantly reduce material costs and welding labor time.

If your facility stores hazardous chemicals and its quantity is above the OSHA CFR 1910 limit, we can facilitate reviews for Process Hazard Analysis (PHA), manage your assets that are within the scope of the PSM covered process, and perform an audit of your PSM program.

HunterBane Engineering can help you ensure code compliance of your process equipment as it relates to mechanical integrity and pressure safety.

HunterBane can provide certified welding inspectors (CWI) to assist with developing and qualifying weld procedures for both ASME Section IX and AWS D1.1 standards. We can help with manual or automatic/orbital welding processes.

Whether you have a failed part or catastrophic failure, we can provide a Turn-key investigation and repair with corrective action to mitigate future failures.

If an incident involving process equipment could lead to litigation, HunterBane can also provide on-site investigations to document the removal and replacement of the failed part.