SOLAS Pipefitting study plan

List the SOLAS chapters and identify which ones drive piping requirements for fire main, bilge, ballast, fuel and steam systems, writing a one-line summary of each relevant chapter.

Map at least 15 specific regulatory requirements (fire main pressure and diameter, bilge suction sizing, fuel oil tank fittings, valve material limits) to the system or component they govern in a personal reference sheet.

Classify 20 common piping materials (carbon steel, copper-nickel, stainless grades, galvanized steel, GRE/GRP) by typical marine service, corrosion behaviour and where class rules restrict or prohibit them.

Identify the function, standard and selection criteria for at least 10 fitting and valve types (gate, globe, butterfly, check, ball, strainer, expansion joint, flanged and welded fittings) and record pressure/temperature ratings.

Explain the difference between SOLAS, classification society rules, flag state requirements and IMO codes, and note which takes precedence when they conflict on a piping detail.

Describe the layout, key components and failure points of five shipboard systems: fire main and sprinkler, bilge and ballast, fuel oil transfer and service, compressed air, and steam/condensate.

Trace a bilge suction line from strum box to overboard discharge and label every component, valve, non-return device and regulation that applies along the route.

Select pipe schedule, wall thickness and pressure class for three worked examples using design pressure, temperature derating and corrosion allowance.

Compare valve actuation and end-connection options (flanged, welded, threaded, butt-weld) and justify a choice for a fuel oil isolation valve and a fire main section valve.

Explain how system segregation, cross-connection prevention and backflow protection are achieved in bilge, ballast and potable water systems.

Perform take-offs from a simple arrangement drawing and produce a cut list of at least 20 pipe spools with sizes, lengths, end preparations and material grades.

Calculate true lengths, cut lengths and bend allowances for 90-degree and 45-degree offsets, including two rolling offsets, showing all working.

Demonstrate correct use of tape, laser measure, spirit level, plumb bob and angle finder, and record the tolerance you would accept on each measurement.

Select and inspect cutting, bevelling and threading tools, and state the inspection criteria for a bevelled end before welding (bevel angle, land, root gap, cleanliness).

Write a job hazard analysis for a pipe-cutting and grinding task covering hot work, fume, noise, eye injury and manual handling controls.

Sequence a butt-weld joint from fit-up to final inspection, naming the standard, consumable and acceptance check at each step.

Compare welding, brazing, threaded, flanged, grooved and adhesive-bonded joining methods and state where each is permitted or prohibited in marine piping.

Identify at least eight common weld defects (lack of fusion, porosity, undercut, slag inclusion, incomplete penetration, cracking) and their likely causes and prevention measures.

Explain preheat, interpass temperature and post-weld heat treatment requirements for carbon steel and stainless steel, and when dissimilar-metal joints need special electrodes.

Assemble a safe hot-work permit checklist and describe fire watch, gas-freeing and adjacent-space precautions for welding in a machinery space.

Calculate thermal expansion for three pipe runs using material expansion coefficients and convert results into anchor, guide and expansion-loop requirements.

Select support type and spacing for horizontal and vertical runs of at least four pipe sizes, referencing span tables and accounting for valve and fitting weight.

Explain how fixed points, sliding supports, spring hangers, guides and expansion joints share load and movement, and identify what goes wrong when each is omitted.

Size and position an expansion loop or offset for a given run and temperature change, showing the calculation.

Identify vibration, water hammer and settling risks in a supported system and propose a corrective detail for each.

Write a hydrostatic test procedure for a piping system covering test pressure, hold time, water quality, venting, isolation and acceptance criteria.

Explain when hydrostatic testing is replaced by pneumatic or alternative testing, and state the additional safety controls pneumatic testing demands.

List non-destructive examination methods (visual, dye penetrant, magnetic particle, radiography, ultrasonic) and match each to the defect type and joint it best detects.

Describe the documentation trail for a tested system: test pack contents, pressure gauge calibration, witness signatures, defect records and reinstatement after repair.

Link test and inspection requirements back to the SOLAS and class-rule clauses that mandate them, and note surveyor attendance points.

Read a piping isometric and extract line number, size, specification break, flow direction, component tags, coordinates and bill of materials.

Produce a hand-sketched isometric for a three-run line with two changes of direction, an offset and two valves, correctly using standard symbols.

Interpret a piping specification and material take-off, and identify at least five discrepancies or missing data that would stop fabrication.

Explain the purpose and content of line lists, weld maps, spool drawings, as-built markups and punch lists, and who signs each.

Apply revision control: identify what changed between two drawing revisions and describe how the change flows to the shop floor.

Complete a timed 60-question mixed mock exam across all nine domains and score each domain separately to expose weak areas.

Re-study the two lowest-scoring domains using condensed notes and re-test with 20 targeted questions per domain.

Recite from memory the key numeric limits (fire main pressure and diameter, test pressure ratios, support spans, expansion coefficients, weld acceptance limits) without reference.

Explain aloud, in under three minutes each, five high-risk topics: fuel oil system fittings, hydrostatic test acceptance, expansion loop sizing, weld defect causes and isometric reading.

Build a one-page exam-day sheet of formulas, limits and checklists, and confirm logistics and permitted reference material.