ASME BPVC latest Edition – Major Changes

The ASME BPVC Edition 2025 – The major changes and will become mandatory since 1st January 2026.

The Boiler and Pressure Vessel Codes are published on a two-year cycle with a July 1, 20XX publication date. The last publishing, 2025 Edition consists of 13 Sections, containing 32 Volumes with more than 19000 pages. The next edition will be published on July 1, 2027.

Major changes of ASME BPVC Edition 2025 (Main Sections)

ASME BPVC Section II

• Cooling Rate Requirements for Grade 91 Type 2 Materials.
  Several specifications now mandate that, following austenitizing, the rate of cooling from 1650 °F to 900 °F [900 °C to 480 °C] must be no slower than 9 °F/min [5 °C/min]. This requirement applies to SA-182, SA-213, SA-234, SA-335, and SA-336, where a new supplementary requirement is now mandatory.

ASME BPVC Section II ‒ Materials, Part D, Specifications for Welding Rods, Electrodes, and Filler Metals

• Separation of material properties in metric and customary units in Section II Part D.

ASME BPVC Section V ‒ Nondestructive Examination

• Removal of Mandatory Appendices III & IV (T-120(e))
  ASME has eliminated mandatory reliance on SNT-TC-1A and CP-189 by deleting Appendices III & IV.
• New Mandatory Appendix: Acoustic Emission (AE)
• Time-of-Flight Diffraction (TOFD) Clarifications
  TOFD can now be used as a stand-alone inspection method in certain conditions without surface inspection, streamlining advanced ultrasonic testing.
• Remote Visual Examination (RVE) Updates
  Article 9 has been updated to support modern Remote Visual Inspection (RVI) techniques, including drones and robotic cameras, ensuring safety and accessibility in hard-to-reach areas
• Updated ASTM References

ASME BPVC Section VIII ‒ Rules for Construction of Pressure Vessels, Division 1

• Indruduction
  • U-1 Scope Revised (U-1(a), U-1(c)
  • U-2 General revision (U-2(a)(2)
  • U-3 Standards: Updated referenced tables
  • U6 Cross-references to division 2 added
• PART UCS – CARBON & LOW ALLOY STEELS
  • UCS-66: Footnote clarificiation for exemption curves
  • UCS-68(c): Improved impact test exemption criteria
  • UCS-85: Revised for consistency with updated UG-85
  • More explicit guidance on toughness testing and heat treatment
• PART UHA – AUSTENITIC STAINLESS STEELS
  • UHA-51 to UHA-60: Editorial enhancements
  • Aligned with UCS for better cross-material clarity
  • Detailed heat treatment & impact testing rules
• PART UCI – CAST IRON
  • SA-439 Type D-2 introduced
  • Broader application guidance for austenitic ductile iron in special service
• PART UNF – NONFERROUS MATEPIALS
  • Revised material group tables
  • NDE acceptance rules clarified for copper and nickel alloy
• PART ULT – LOW TEMPERATURE SERVICE
  • Rewritten to improve logic behind minimum design temperature selection
  • Better coordination with UG-84 and UCS-66 for impact test exemptions
• UG-11 Extended to brazing applications
• UG-14 Rods& bars completely revised
• UG-16 Expanded to printed circuit heat exchangers; allows Div. VIII-2 design rules where Div. VIII-1 lack rules
• UG-23 Stress value corrections
• UG-24 Castings major rewrite
• UG33-35 Design updates
• UG-75 to UG-79: FABRICATION
  • UG-75 & UG-76: Completely rewritten-for better structure-no technical changes.
  • UG-77 (Material Identification): Major editorial update-paragraph titles added -reorganization completed, anc marking requirements clarified.
  • UG-78 & UG-79: Rewritten with no technical changes, improving layout and clarity.
• UG-84: CHARPY IMPACT TESTS
  • Complete editorial rewrite forbelter flow,
  • UG-84(i)(1): Now directs users to UG-84(h) (5) for specimen removal.
  • Revisions in VIII-1 UG-84(c) (6) an Figure UG-84.1 note (b) now clarify retest rules.
• UG85: HEAT TREATMENT
  • Fully rewritten for clarity and improved guidance.
  • Code Case 2941 now incorporated into UG-85(f).
  • Alignment with UCS-85 ensures consistency across materials.
• UG-90 to UG-97:
  • Editorial revisions across the board:
    • Streamlined layout and terminology
    • User-Manufacturer inspection requirements removed
    • All related paragraphs (UG-90 to UG-97) brought into alignment for coherence and ease of use
• UG-99 & UG-100: HYDROSTATIC & PNEUMATIC TESTS
  • Paragraphs completely reorganized for better flow
  • No technical changes, but significantly improved layout for ease of understanding
• UG-102 to UG-103: NDE
  • Editorial revisions to streamline layout
  • Enhanced scope clarification
  • Improved consistency with other Code sections
• UG-116 to UG-120: MARKING & STAMPING
  • Rewritten for consistency and better structure
  • Specific guidance added for multi-chambered vessels
  • Terminology and examples simplified for global usability
• UG-125 to UG-136: OVERPRESSURE PROTECTION
  • Extensively revised and reorganized
  • Added content on internal relief devices
  • Improved clarity on lift settings, capacity rules, and installation requirements
  • Revisions in UG-136(b)(1) align with evolving design practices and valve selection needs;
• UG-154 Overpressure protection clarified
• Appendix 47: DESIGNER REQUIREMENTS
  • All design work must comply with the Manufacturer’s Quality Control System
  • Designers must demonstrate knowledge of Section VIII requirements
  • Qualifications must be documented, traceable, and reviewed every 3 years

ASME BPVC Section VIII ‒ Rules for Construction of Pressure Vessels, Division 2, Alternative Rules

• Elimination of Class 1 and Class 2 distinction; all vessels follow a single frame work
• Design Margin: Changed to 2.4 *UTS for all vessels, replacing the provisions 3.0*UTS for calss 1 vessels
• Major addition introducing comprehensive rules for vessels operating in the creep range, addressing high-temperature applications through four specific failure mode protections
• Significant updates to fatigue rules aligning with latest industry practices and improving screening methods for welded components

ASME BPVC Section IX Welding, Brazing, and Fusing Qualifications

• QW-410.91, QW-410.92, and QW-410.93: They apply to the welding technique and affect the way welding procedures are qualified. They are listed in multiple tables such as QW-253, QW-256, etc., and define what conditions must change for a re-qualification to be required.
• Changes to P-Numbers:  P-No. 53 has been renamed to P-No. 54
• Appendix I, which included Rounded Indication Charts used for radiography evaluation, has been completely removed in the 2025 edition.
• QW-421.3 Subparagraphs (a) and (c) have been deleted
• Table QW/QB-422: Ferrous” and “Nonferrous” subheads deleted, and both tables combined
• Table QW-432: ERNiCr-8 row added
• Table QW-452.4: Last row was deleted, and a row was revised. This table defines the limits of qualified thickness.
• Table QW-453: Fully revised; It covers test positions and is used during welder qualification.
• New Appendix M: This appendix provides clear steps for qualifying Duplex Stainless Steels
• Appendix L revised: Dual qualification to allow welders to be qualified simultaneously to ASME IX and ISO 9606-1 / ISO 14732.
• Appendix K: This appendix now gives better guidance on how to correctly invoke Section IX from other codes and contract documents.
• Nonmandatory Appendix M: Procedure and Performance Qualification of Duplex stainless steels

ASME BPVC Section XIII ‒ Rules for Overpressure Protection

Clarifications and extensions — from set pressure tolerances and ramp rates to seat tightness, resealing and back-pressure testing.

• Ramp Rate Requirement – This rule was previously outlined in ASME PTC 25; however it is now been incorporated in Section XIII, Appendix 5. Specifically: 2% of set pressure increase between 90–100% of set pressure.
• Seat Tightness & Test Fluids – Section XIII clearly outlines in tabular format: What test fluids can be used, what seat tightness test applies.
• Resealing Pressure – Since test benches have limited volume for testing and in many cases cannot overpressure the Pressure Relief Valve for production testing, the more appropriate closing pressure recorded in the test software is Resealing Pressure. The updated and official definition in Section XIII: “Resealing pressure: the value of decreasing inlet static pressure at which no further leakage is detected after closing of the pressure relief valve.”
• Secondary Pressure Zone Test, sometimes called a back-pressure test – Section XIII clarifies: The applicable valves, what test pressures apply. Specially: minimum pressure of 30 psi (≈ 200 kPa) unless the expected service back-pressure is higher.