Nuclear Inspection & Supervision
- Nuclear inspection and inspection-supervision support for owners, contractors and suppliers
- Manufacturing inspection and surveillance of safety-related (Class 1, 2 and 3) components
- Vendor and sub-vendor qualification
- Review of procurement specifications, quality plans and Inspection & Test Plans (ITP)
- Verification of materials, fabrication procedures, welding and heat-treatment records
- Inspection of nuclear pressure vessels, piping, pumps, valves, heat exchangers and supports
- Witnessing of mechanical, functional, pressure and acceptance tests
- Review of nonconformances, corrective actions and final documentation
- Support for construction, installation, repair and replacement
QSC inspectors hold ASME / National Board commissions as Authorized Nuclear Inspector (ANI) and Authorized Nuclear Inspector Supervisor (ANIS), through APAVE as Authorized Inspection Agency (AIA).
Nuclear In-Service Inspection
Support for operating plants during planned outages and periodic examination programs, under the rules of ASME Section XI and, for Canadian plants, the relevant CSA N285 provisions.
- In-service inspection planning and support
- Periodic examination programs
- Weld inspection and pressure-boundary assessment
- Evaluation of reported indications
- Maintenance and outage inspection support
- Repair / replacement documentation and verification of records
Mechanical & Structural Nuclear Engineering
Design calculations, pressure-boundary verification, stress analysis, fatigue assessment, supports, nozzles, reinforcement, flanges, bolting, structural integrity, thermal loading, mechanical design verification and technical assessment of modifications.
Typical components include reactor vessels, steam generators, heat exchangers, tanks, piping, pressure parts, internals, supports and associated mechanical equipment.
QSC can take design responsibility. Design calculations and design reports are certified by a Registered Professional Engineer where the code requires it, for example for ASME Section III Class 1 components.
ASME Section III Nuclear Components
| ASME reference | Subject |
|---|
| Section III, Div. 1, Subsection NB | Class 1 components |
| Section III, Div. 1, Subsection NC / NCD | Class 2 components (subsection depends on code edition) |
| Section III, Div. 1, Subsection ND / NCD | Class 3 components (subsection depends on code edition) |
| Section III, Div. 1, Subsection NE | Class MC (metal containment) components |
| Section III, Div. 1, Subsection NF | Component supports |
| Section III, Div. 1, Subsection NG | Core support structures |
| Section III, Subsection NCA | General requirements, as applicable |
Recent ASME editions publish Class 2 and Class 3 rules under Subsection NCD. The applicable edition is always confirmed per project.
Nuclear Materials & Welding
- Material specifications, certification and traceability
- Nuclear welding procedure and personnel qualifications
- Welding coordination and welding consumables control
- Corrosion-resistant cladding and dissimilar-metal welding
- Repair welding, PWHT and thermal records
- Material identification and welding documentation
Nuclear NDE & Testing
Examination methods, procedure review, NDE personnel qualifications, examination coverage, acceptance requirements, traceable reporting and coordination of advanced techniques.
Nuclear NDE personnel are qualified to SNT-TC-1A, ANSI/ASNT CP-189 and ISO 9712, and QSC personnel hold ASME Section XI Appendix VIII ultrasonic performance-demonstration qualifications.
- VT, PT, MT, UT, RT
- PAUT and TOFD
- Eddy current (ET)
- Leak testing
- Hydrostatic and, where appropriate, pneumatic testing
- Functional acceptance testing
Nuclear Quality Assurance & Auditing
Nuclear Lead Auditor services are described on the Auditing page, including the qualification and competence requirements that apply.
- Nuclear QA program review
- ASME NQA-1 and ISO 19443 requirements
- Supplier qualification and surveillance audits
- Quality management system assessment
- Procurement documentation and records management
- Nonconformance handling and corrective-action follow-up
Nuclear Documentation & Final Records
- Design reports
- Material records
- Welding books
- NDE and inspection reports
- Quality plans
- NCR registers and deviation records
- Qualification documents
- Final Manufacturing Record Books (MRB)
International Nuclear Codes
These frameworks are distinct technical systems, not interchangeable labels. QSC works to the code specified by each project.
| Framework | Principal context |
|---|
| ASME Section III | Construction of nuclear components, particularly on ASME-based projects |
| RCC-M | PWR nuclear-island mechanical components (French AFCEN framework) |
| RSE-M | In-service inspection rules for PWR nuclear-island mechanical components (French AFCEN framework) |
| CSA N285 | Canadian nuclear pressure-retaining systems and components |
| CSA N299 | Canadian quality assurance requirements for suppliers of items and services for nuclear power plants |
| CSA N286 | Canadian management system requirements for nuclear facilities |
| KEPIC | Korean power industry codes, including nuclear standards |
| JSME | Japanese mechanical engineering codes, including nuclear applications |
| ASME Section XI | In-service inspection and related integrity requirements |
| ASME NQA-1 | Nuclear quality assurance requirements |
| ISO 19443 | Quality management for organizations supplying products and services important to nuclear safety |
Codes & Standards
Typical Deliverables
- Inspection and surveillance reports
- ITP and quality plan reviews
- Vendor qualification reports
- Calculation and design review reports
- NCR and corrective-action records
- Welding books and NDE records
- Manufacturing Record Book review
Industries Served