🛠️ Facing flaws in your critical equipment? From corrosion to cracks, the wrong call can cost you millions—or worse, lead to failure. At NWE, we provide code-compliant, unbiased FFS evaluations that help you:
🎯 Make the right repair or run decision—today.
Fitness-for-Service (FFS) is a structured engineering process that answers one question:
Can damaged or degraded equipment continue operating—safely and legally?
Defined by API 579 / ASME FFS-1, it combines:
At NWE, we apply the FFS process to help plant teams:
Extend equipment life without compromising safety Avoid over-conservative shutdowns or unnecessary repairs Provide documented justification for continued use, repair, or re-rate
Used globally in:
Whether you’re preparing for inspection, investigating damage, or navigating turnarounds, FFS gives you the clarity to act with confidence—based on engineering, not assumptions.
In aging infrastructure and aggressive operations, every flaw poses a question: Can we continue safely, or must we stop? That’s where FFS comes in. It’s the industry-standard method to evaluate flawed equipment without guesswork, bias, or excessive conservatism.
At NWE, our certified engineers provide clear, defensible recommendations tailored to your:
✅ Fully aligned with API 579 / ASME FFS-1
✅ Reports accepted by PHMSA, OSHA, PED, and more
✅ Independent third-party, not tied to fabricators or contractors
Avoid blanket replacements. Make fitness decisions based on facts.
Every asset has a flaw someday. FFS is how you manage it—before it becomes a failure.
Here’s where Fitness-for-Service shines:
🔹 Buried pipelines with ILI-detected corrosion
🔹 Steam and process lines under long-term creep fatigue
🔹 Pressure vessels with suspected hydrogen damage (HIC/SOHIC)
🔹 Spheres & tanks under API 510 inspections
🔹 Welds with cracks, undercut, or fabrication anomalies
🔹 Offshore piping subject to fatigue or dent+crack interactions
In each case, FFS helps decide:
🎯 If you’ve found a flaw—before you shut down, cut, or replace—get an FFS review.
Not all flaws are created equal—and neither are all FFS evaluations. That’s why API 579 / ASME FFS-1 defines three distinct assessment levels. At NWE, we perform all three, selecting the right level based on flaw severity, component criticality, and code requirements.
Level | Description | When to Use |
Level 1 | Quick, conservative screening based on simplified formulas | For minor flaws with simple geometry, low stress, or when fast yes/no decisions are needed |
Level 2 | Intermediate level using detailed calculations, geometry, and load input | When Level 1 is too conservative or fails, but a full simulation isn’t justified |
Level 3 | Advanced analysis using finite element modeling (FEA) and fracture mechanics | For complex flaws, critical components, or when required by regulators or internal QA |
💡 Need to justify run/repair/re-rate decisions to auditors or insurers?
Level 3 FFS by NWE offers technical defensibility, risk context, and regulatory acceptance—from PHMSA to EU PED.
At NWE, we don’t just check boxes or run software. Each FFS evaluation is a rigorous, engineering-driven process—combining inspection data, stress modeling, and materials expertise—to help you make defensible, risk-aware, and standards-aligned decisions.
Based on API 579 / ASME FFS-1 and real-world inspection data, we evaluate all common and complex damage mechanisms:
👉 Flaw inputs come directly from your UT, RT, MT, or ILI reports—translated into engineering models.
Evaluation levels are selected based on component importance and data availability. Each includes:
When Flaws and Loads Interact, You Need the Full Picture
Flaws don’t exist in a vacuum. Internal pressure, thermal cycles, vibration, and external loads all affect how damage behaves.
At NWE, we combine flaw data with stress analysis to deliver accurate, risk-informed FFS decisions.
What’s Included:
📌 We collaborate with your mechanical and process teams to reflect real-world loads—not just textbook assumptions.
Each FFS project includes clear, structured, and defensible reporting—ready for third-party review and executive action.
💡 Clear enough for decision-makers. Detailed enough for engineers.
NWE is not a fabricator, not an inspector, not a repair contractor. We are your independent integrity engineering partner—committed to accuracy, objectivity, and safety.
📩 Need a reliable FFS assessment—fast?
Let NWE reduce risk, extend asset life, and help you defend your decisions.
→ Request an FFS Review Now
While Fitness-for-Service is a powerful decision-making tool, it has limitations—especially when input data is incomplete or when flaws exceed certain thresholds.
Here’s when FFS may not provide sufficient assurance:
📌 We always advise clients when FFS alone may not be sufficient—and we help define the next engineering step, whether it’s NDE revalidation, metallurgical analysis, or rerating/redesign.
Many of our clients benefit from combining Fitness-for-Service with other NWE engineering services to gain a full picture of asset health:
Looking for a unified integrity strategy? Let’s align your mechanical, process, and inspection teams with one cohesive engineering view.
Need Pipeline Integrity Assessment support?
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Got Questions About Pipeline Integrity Assessment? Start Here:
Yes—if the flaw is found acceptable per API 579 criteria, FFS provides engineering justification to extend operation until the next planned outage.
Depending on the level and data availability:
We work fast when equipment availability is critical.
Plant engineers, inspection teams, integrity managers, and EPC contractors—anyone facing a fitness question during operations, turnaround planning, or incident investigation.
If your inquiries haven’t been fully addressed, feel free to Advise with NWE’s specialists
In damaged equipment, the cost of indecision can be higher than repair or replacement. Delays increase downtime risk, safety exposure, and potential violations.
With an FFS evaluation by NWE, you get:
Whether you’re under pressure to restart, justify safe operation, or satisfy auditors—we help you act decisively and defensibly.
🚀 Request a Fitness-for-Service Evaluation
We’ll review your flaw data and let you know exactly what can be run, repaired, or must be replaced—no guesswork.
We’re excited to connect with you and share more about how we can collaborate together!
Please contact us to discuss your staffing requirements and explore how NWE can assist in achieving your project objectives
NWE is the independent expert in inspection and engineering, increasing the quality and safety of our clients’ projects, protecting their operations and budgets, while improving environmental performance.
