ASME B18.18-2017 (R2021)

Quality Assurance for Fasteners

This quality-focused standard establishes in-process and final inspection requirements for fastener products as well as a receiving inspection plan for fastener purchasers. The standard identifies four categories, recognizing that fastener users have widely varying requirements. The four categories covered are as follows: (a) Category 1 - a receiving inspection plan for purchasers. (b) Category 2 - utilizes documented and verifiable in-process controls structured at the producers discretion. (c) Category 3 - utilizes documented and verifiable in-process controls structured at the producers discretion. (d) Category 4 - includes all of the requirements of Category 2 plus a 100% inspection for a specific feature or features. In the preparation of this standard it was recognized that its function must enable it to be a part of the various regimens in use today that attain certain quality levels of products. This standard was written to encompass frameworks that enable the users of this standard to pinpoint which category they wish to use in meeting their own objectives.