🔍 Key Concepts

• 46 CFR requirements for boiler inspections and gauging • When destructive testing (drilling) is required versus when it is optional • Regulatory expectations for non-destructive testing (NDT) accuracy and boiler condemnation criteria

💭 Think About

• Look at which option sounds like an absolute rule and ask: does the CFR really require this every time, or only when certain conditions are met? • Think about how inspectors normally try to avoid damaging equipment. Which answers would cause unnecessary damage if strictly followed? • Consider what normally happens if a boiler shows some loss of thickness: is it automatically condemned, or can it still be used within safe minimums?

✅ Before You Answer

• Verify in 46 CFR whether drilling/gauging is mandatory at a fixed age (like ten years), or only when needed to determine condition. • Check if the CFR requires condemnation any time thickness is less than original, or if it uses a minimum allowable thickness standard. • Confirm whether there is a specific numerical accuracy requirement (such as plus or minus one percent) for NDT devices in the regulations.