Feature
A New Era for the National Board Inspection Code
An Interview with Committee Chairman Terry Parks
For 66 years the National Board Inspection Code (NBIC) has upheld a reputation of quality, safety, and uniformity that has made it the premier, internationally-recognized standard for rules and guidelines for the installation, inspection, and repair and/or alteration of boilers, pressure vessels, and pressure relief devices. This longstanding, “living” document has gone through many adaptations since its first publication in 1945 to meet the changing needs of the boiler and pressure vessel industry.
The July release of the 2011 edition marks a new era for the NBIC. The books will feature a progressive new design, reformatted layout, and a new publication cycle. Undertaking such a project takes the cooperation and skills of many people, including National Board staff and NBIC committee members. Leading the way is NBIC Chairman and National Board Field Services Manager, Terry Parks.
In the following excerpt, Mr. Parks explains the updates and changes to the NBIC:
BULLETIN: In July National Board releases the newly-formatted National Board Inspection Code (NBIC). It also begins the new two-year publication cycle. What is new and different about the reformatted version, and why change the publication cycle?
Mr. Parks: In terms of content, everything remains the same. What have changed are the interior page layout and the physical design of the book. The interior is now a single-page, one-column format, which makes the flow of information much easier to read. Additionally, the NBIC will no longer come in loose-leaf, three-ring binders – the books are softcover and capable of lying flat open, which make them much easier to use. The books are three-hole punched to fit into a binder.
Another significant change: there will be no more addenda. Going forward, the NBIC will be published every two years in July. The new two-year cycle is easier for people to use and ensures they have the right version. This new cycle also syncs with ASME codes, so all code books will be released at the same time.
To read the full interview, look for the summer issue of the BULLETIN coming in June.
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