Protecting People and the EnvironmentUNITED STATES NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
SSINS No.: 6835
IN 83-07
UNITED STATES
NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
OFFICE OF INSPECTION AND ENFORCEMENT
WASHINGTON, DC 20555
March 7, 1983
INFORMATION NOTICE NO. 83-07: NONCONFORMITIES WITH MATERIALS SUPPLIED BY
TUBE LINE CORPORATION
Addressees:
All nuclear power reactor facilities holding an operating license (OL) or
construction permit (CP) and fuel facilities.
Purpose:
This information notice is provided as a notification of nonconformities
with materials supplied by Tube Line Corporation. Although NRC review of
this matter is not complete, the failure to meet the procurement
specifications shows similarities to the Ray Miller, Inc. materials problems
described in Information Notice 83-01, dated January 26, 1983. It is
expected that recipients will review the information for applicability to
their facilities. No specific action or response is required.
Description of Circumstances:
On December 6, 1982, Capitol Pipe and Steel Products Company (CPSP Co.) sent
a letter to the NRC identifying nonconformities with materials supplied to
its customers; CPSP Co. had obtained these materials from Tube Line
Corporation. In the December 6, 1982 letter, CPSP Co. identified the
customers who had received the Tube Line Corporation materials, and had been
notified about nonconformities in the materials. In addition, a followup
Part 21 report by Babcock and Wilcox (B&W) identified in a letter dated
January 10, 1983 that the material shipped to B&W had been supplied by the
Houston, Texas facility of the Tube Line Corporation, which was not an
approved nuclear supplier per ASME Section III, NCA 3800 requirements.
The products identified by, CPSP Co. were pipe fittings (caps, tees, and
elbows) and flanges. The nonconformities identified were shipment from an
unapproved nuclear source, failure to perform proper heat treatment, and
failure to meet ASME Code requirements for nondestructive examinations.
According to the B&W letter, Tube Line Corporation purchased the fittings
and base flange forgings from three different suppliers and performed the
finished machining of the flanges. B&W has conducted tests of samples of
four heats and has identified two heats with strength lower than that
reported in the materials certifications.
8212060369
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IN 83-07
March 7, 1983
Page 2 of 2
Information available to date indicates that material was purchased from
foreign stock material suppliers by Tube Line Corporation with the
specification that heat treatments not be performed. Further, Tube Line
Corporation never performed the required heat treatments when they received
the material. The first procurement of the material in question was 1980 and
the first shipments for nuclear application were made in 1982.
It is suggested that holders of operating licenses or construction permits
review this information for applicability to purchases of material at their
facilities.
No written response to this notice is required. If you have any questions
regarding this matter please contact the Regional Administrator of the
appropriate NRC Regional Office, or this office.
Edward L. Jordan Director
Division of Emergency Preparedness
and Engineering Response
Office of Inspection and Enforcement
Technical Contact: J. R. Fair
301-492-4509
Attachment:
List of Recently Issued Information Notices
