Api 570 Certification Body of Knowledge

In this module, you shall learn about:

- how to apply for API 570 exam,
- what you shall expect during exam day,
- exam time management and
- exam tips.

How the API exam questions are developed?

Periodically a question writing session is conducted. Subject Matter Experts (SME's), or individuals who specialize in piping, write questions from specific sections of the Code. Each question is then checked by three other SME's.

This validation exercise checks two items; first, is the question written clearly, and second, does the question cover knowledge that is important to a piping inspector. These questions then go into a question data-bank.

Presently there are over 1000 questions in the API data-bank and are grouped by topics.

For each examination, there are 170 questions, of which only 140 are scored. The remaining 30 questions are experimental and not scored. The scored and non scored questions are shuffled together, so you have to answer all questions. Out of 170 questions, 110 are closed-book and 60 are open-book questions.

This means if you fail the exam, you shall be given a different set of exam questions during retest.

How to prioritize and plan your study for API 570

You have limited amount of time to study, so you need to invest your time wisely, that is, you should spend your study time where you can get the MAXIMUM return!

Approximately half of the test questions directly come from API 570. So that's your priority! For every hour spent studying the other publications, spend 2 hours studying API 570.

If you thoroughly understand API 570 and don't even look at the other publications, chances are you could pass the test based on your personal knowledge of other codes and recommended practices. (we are not recommending this approach!). But remember, almost half of API exam comes straight from API 570 Inspection Code.

There will be about 70-75 test questions directly from API 570. API 570 has about 80 pages to study, which is an average of one exam question for every page. The remaining 90-100 questions will come from some 2000 pages contained in the rest of the reference documents. That's less than 1 question for every 20 pages on average.

Time Commitment

Time is your limited resource. Your learning efficiency will increase by having a plan and be focussed. Why spend hundreds of hours studying haphazardly when you could learn just as much or even more with 50 hours of organized approach.

Our e-learning course helps you manage your time as well as focussing on key subjects in an effective manner. The plan can be based on 12 weeks of preparation with 6-8 study hours each week.

This plan will allow you to study at a steady pace whenever you want and wherever you want with our 24/7 course access from your mobile or lap top and online support. Your learning and satisfaction will significantly increase with this disciplined approach that could also fit in with your daily routines.

Do not wait and cram the week prior to the exam. You may still be lucky to pass the test, but you will soon forget what little you learned.

Preparing for a certification exams is a great opportunity to really increase your inspection knowledge and skills and significantly enhance your career. Make the most of it.

How the questions are set

The examination comprises of open book and closed book parts.

The closed-book examination includes such questions which the inspector is normally expected to know without referring to the Codes, that is, these questions are "awareness level" questions or "practical" questions.

Whenever you find a very definitive or quantitative statement or fact in body of the Code and recommended practice, a closed book question may be expected on it. For example UT probe temperature difference with ambient temperature shall be 25ºF or 15ºC.

Therefore, the basic requirements of a code, specific "DO" and "DON'T" statements, important quantified statements, important definitions and well-known inspection principles will constitute such questions.

Where the candidate is required to refer to the diagrams or formulas or tables or graphs and curves from the Codes, it will always be an "open-book" question. All calculation type of questions will be "open-book" type.

The Code Information which is not short and crisp, (i.e., large paragraphs, several descriptive statements clubbed together) will be asked in "open-book" part. Here, the candidate is expected not to remember the information but should know where to find it in the body of the Code.

The questions asked in closed book part are straight forward statements directly taken form Code and recommended practices without much of the modifications and therefore are easy to answer. Pay special attention to relevant figures, charts and tables specially the footnotes and captions.

To answer open-book questions, you only need to know where to find the answer in the code and therefore tabbing of Code pages, highlighting the paragraphs or additional explanatory notes in page margins is useful and time saving. We shall identify the important pages of codes and recommended practices. During calculation type of practice and mock exams, you should make note of the code pages that are frequented.

Please note that; it is very important to also work with the PDF version of the codes and RPs as it is quite different when you go through a hard copy of a code than when you go through the PDF format.

You should get used to navigating through the PDF version as this is the medium you have to work through, during the examination.

Please remember that study of API 570 Piping Inspection Code has to be "thorough" and total, while study of ASME B313, ASME B16.5, ASME Sec. IX and ASME Sec. V should be such that it can cover the topics mentioned in the "Body of Knowledge".

Our E-leaning modules are specifically focussed on the body of knowledge.

- If you are about a month away from exam date, read all the Codes at least once and concentrate on highlighted text in the Codes and RPs.
- If you are about two weeks away from the exam, concentrate on highlighted text as well as the mock examinations provided.
- In the last week of preparation, focus on Flash Card and highlighted text from the codes and Recommended Practices.

Time Management during the Exam:

Closed-book part of the exam (110 questions) can be finished within 2 to 2 ½ hours, against the allotted 2.75 hours while "open-book" part (60 questions) takes a little longer and may require all the 3.75 hours that are allotted depending how fast you can find the relevant topic within the reference documents.

Always keep a tab of the clock on the right hand top corner of the computer screen. It show the remaining time versus number of questions attempted.

For closed book, you have an average of 1.5 minutes per question while for open book part, the allocated time is 3.75 minutes per question.

This means you should answer 40 questions per hour for open book part and some 16 questions for closed book part as a minimum to keep the pace.

It is always better to complete each part 15-30 minutes earlier and use the last half an hour to review the flagged off questions ensuring that all questions are answered to the best of your knowledge.

You may start from Question No.1 and proceed. If after 1 hour you feel that you are maintaining the speed (40 questions per hour for closed book and 16 questions for open book), that is fine.

If, however, you are behind the required progress rate, start jumping the questions, that is, start attempting those questions you can answer. Flag off or mark questions whose answer you do not know, to be reviewed at the end. Chances are that you may remember the answer to a particular closed book question while answering other questions or find the answer for an open book question while looking for answers for other questions.

After attempting all the questions, start reviewing marked questions by clicking ''review marked questions'' tab and attempt them once again using your "feel" factor. Go on like this until say the last remaining 10-15 minutes.

If there are still some questions where you have no clue at all, just mark the answer at random eliminating definitely wrong answers by keeping the mouse on them and right clicking, thereby striking them off zooming on possible right answers. This may give you few lucky points.

Attempt all questions since there is no negative marking.

Before the clock stops, make absolutely sure that all questions are answered. If you press the ''review all'' button, you can also see whether you have answered all the questions or not.

The exam stops automatically once you ran out of time.

How Do I Prepare For Classroom Training?

Note: This advice is more suitable for those candidates who have opted for our blended course, that is, the combined e-learning plus our 5 day classroom training or webinar.

Note: This section is more suitable for those candidates who have opted for our blended classroom training.

The API Body of Knowledge covers a broad spectrum of knowledge which many inspectors might not be exposed on a regular basis. The classroom course is intensive covering welding, NDT, WPS, Codes, damage mechanism, Inspection of piping and flanges, explanation of important terms and definitions, exam tips and time management, as well as solving sample questions and Q & A sessions, all within 5 days. So, we expect that you have gone through the e-learning well enough, have a minimum level of knowledge but with a few glitches.

The aim is to bring the candidates into an acceptable level of knowledge, so he/she is able to pass the examination. You have paid a lot of money for the classroom training and we would like high exam pass rates for the sake of our continued business.

Remember, nobody can become an inspector by just a few days of classroom training, but we believe, if you have studied the e-learning course; 5 days classroom training should be enough to cover the topics and debottleneck any doubts you may have so you can pass the exam.

The current e-learning is worth 50-60 hour of study material depending on your past experience and knowledge. Solving the mock questions and exams can take another 20 hours.

Analyse the areas of knowledge you are already competent and then make a list of your weak areas. As long as your weak areas are not part of ''high percentage exam question'' segment, you are safe; otherwise, you need to build up your strength on those areas to an acceptable level.

We have designed the mock questions in such a way to complement your knowledge and be in line with actual exam questions.

When solving the mock or sample review questions, you need to understand the underlying reason behind the right answer, and also try to understand why other answers are wrong. This would help you immensely during the real exam by avoiding mistakes and trick questions. We have explained the reason for each correct answer; whenever needed.

Study the e-learning regularly. Do not leave it until the day before the class and then cram for hours – it rarely works!!

Everyone is different – but the more preparation you do, the easier the class to follow, and finally the easier to pass the exam.

Make notes on areas you may face difficulty with and be prepared to raise them during the classroom training. We are here to help.

Please note that, we shall be running a very tight schedule during classroom training. So, in order to cover the entire syllabus and as a token of respect to your fellow trainees, we expect the candidates to be specific and concise with their Questions. Our classroom training is not a brain storming or story telling session.

You can also chat or send feedback/questions during e-learning course, as well as before and after the class room training.

Percentage of Exam Questions per Code and RP

As per API Publication Effectively Sheet or reference material for API-570 exam, there are 4 ASME codes (ASME B31.3, ASME B16.5, ASME Code V & ASME Code IX), 4 Recommended Practices (571, 574, 577, 578) and the all important API standard 570.

However, not all of them are equally important and therefore, do not require equal emphasis.

About 40-45% of questions are asked from single API standard 570 which is some 80 pages long, while the rest contribute to 55-60% marks which are some 2000 pages.

API Core Certificates (API 570, 570, 570)

API 570 Piping inspector is one of the three core API certificates. The other two are API 510 – Pressure Vessel Inspector and API 653– Aboveground Storage Tank (AST) Inspector.

These core certifications have some common reference documents between themselves, namely, API 571, API 577, ASME Sec V, and ASME Sec IX. Approximately a quarter of questions for all three core certifications are derived from above ASME Codes and API RPs.

Most of the inspectors, plan to get at least these 3 core certifications, So, it makes sense that once you have passed one of them, you may go for other two as well; since you have already covered roughly one third of the other two examinations.

All API examinations including API 570 are held 3 times a year and each exam window is 2 weeks long. The exam windows for API 570 for the year 2020 are February 14 – 28; June 12 – 26 and October 16 – 30. The API 570 exams for the year 2021 would be more or less along the same windows.

The pass rate for API 570 is around 55%.

Prometric is sub contracted by API to hold the computer based examinations. After registering and getting the API approval, you can book an exam date at your selected Prometric test centre. Prometric has 3000 test centres across the globe to choose from.

The deadline to get the API authorization email is 2.5 months prior to the selected test window. For exam schedule and application deadline, please visit below link:

https://www.api.org/products-and-services/individual-certification-programs/schedules-and-fees#tab-2020

To get the API approval attending API 570 examination, you need to file the application form by registering with API ICP (please use below link for registration):

https://www.api.org/products-and-services/individual-certification-programs/apply

Then, upload your qualification; provide two references and pay the fees ($940 if your company is not an API member or $730 if your company is an API member).

Unfortunately, API does not grant individual membership. You can only avail the reduced fee if your company is an API member, so, most of candidates end up paying the full exam fee of $940.

Pre requisite

The minimum qualification requirements for API 570 Piping inspector certification are based on a combination of education and experience related to piping. This experience must have been acquired within the last 10 years.

Prior to submitting an application, please use the table below to determine if you qualify to take the API 570 exam. The minimum experience required MUST be documented on your application. If you are in doubt, please contact us.

Verification of your Experience by API

API shall verify your claimed experience by sending a link to your two references via email. This link opens up a questionnaire listing your experience in various fields you have claimed and your references need to verify them. This should not take more than a couple of minutes of their time.

It is recommended to brief your references so they know which inspection fields and for how long you have claimed the experience for. If possible, sit with your references when they are responding to API experience verification email. This would avoid any discrepancy that may result from your claimed experience against their verification.

3 Weeks Exam Window

Please note that, during registration with API, you are required to select one of the available ''3 weeks time window''. Once the time window selected, you cannot change it which means you can only sit for the exam within the selected ''3 week window'' unless you decide to reschedule and pay the fee (300 $) which is as good as failing the exam.

Remember, if you do not attend the exam within the allocated 2 weeks window for any reason whatsoever such as: being absent or no show up, failing to book a slot; non availability of slot in your preferred test centre and failing to book an available slot in another test centre is as good as failing the exam itself. In this situation, you need to request a reschedule (the same way as if you have failed the exam) and pay USD 300 $.

Application deadline

The deadline to get your application approved prior to your selected test window is around 2.5 months. If your approval happens at the last minute you might not be able to find a suitable available date or worse, you might not be able to get a seat at your favourite test centre within the allocated ''3 week window'' while the next available test centre may be hundreds of miles away or even in another country. This is because Prometric has only 3000 test centre offered for API exams across the globe.

Therefore, it is recommended that you register and get the API approval (called API Exam Authorization Notice email) roughly 6 months prior to your scheduled exam; that is; do not choose the next immediate test window but choose the one that is 4-5 months away.

This is especially important for core API 570 exam. For noncore API exams, there is normally a good chance of getting the convenient test location and date at the next available test window.

Selecting the test centre and exam date

There are some 3000 Prometric testing centres worldwide to choose from. All Prometric testing centres operate on the first-come-first-served basis. Therefore, API cannot promise that you will be able to obtain a seat at your preferred location.

Schedule your exam immediately after receiving your Exam Authorization Notice email from API. If he seat is not available, try a different date, or another location.

You can change the exam location and date (still within the allocated 2 weeks window) up to 30 days before the exam free of charge and between 5-29 days for a fee of USD 70 $ subject to availability. For API core exams (API 510, 570, 563) being a day long test, it is hardly possible to change the time and location.

Time limit for passing the exam

API gives each candidate 12 consecutive months to pass an exam beginning from the first scheduled test window. This means you can attempt the exam for a maximum of 4 consecutive times.

If you do not pass the exam within a year from your first selected exam window for any reason such as: failing the exam, fail to schedule the exam with Prometric, no show at the exam date, etc., you have to apply all over again and pay the full fees.

Schedule your exam with your closest Prometric test centre as soon as you receive the API authorization

One of our trainees received his ''API Exam Authorization Notice'' for API 570 seven months before the selected test window; but attempted to book a place with Prometric only two months before the test window. As a result, his closest Prometric centre (London) was already full, so, he had to go to Amsterdam Prometric test centre to attend the exam. Therefore, it is strongly recommend that you book your place as soon as you receive the API authorization notice.

Remember, API 570 is a full day exam, so booking your favourite exam date and location may not be possible if you are late.

Prometric booking is on the first come first served basis.

Be at the Prometric test centre at least half an hour before the exam scheduled time

API 570 is a daylong exam and normally starts at 8.30 am.

Make sure you reach the Prometric test centre at least half an hour before the scheduled time. If you reach the test centre 15 minutes after that, they may refuse to admit you.

Photo ID and security check

You will be required to present one valid, unexpired and original government-issued photo ID with a signature, such as a driver's license, passport, national ID or military ID.

In cases where a primary government-issued photo ID does not have a signature, a second ID with signature must be presented. The identification must be in Latin characters.

Prior to letting you to sit for the exam; Prometric employees shall check your valid government photographic ID, ask you to sign in; check you with a metal detector; ask you to turn up your sleeves and trousers; check your pockets; look at your reading glasses to ensure it does not have any camera/video recording device and ask you a security question (Date Of Birth, email address).

You cannot carry anything with you except a bottle of water. No ornaments are allowed except a wedding ring. Prometric shall supply you with a couple of green colour A4 size papers and a pencil for taking notes plus a simple calculator.

If you don't produce a valid government photo ID card at the Prometric test centre, you shall be refused entry and it is treated as a ''no show up'' which is as good as failing the exam. Also, make sure your government issued photo ID (driving license, passport) is valid.

During API 570 exam, one of our candidate's driving licence was expired and he was refused entry although he returned half an hour later with a valid passport but by that time it was too late, Prometric said. As a result, he had to pay the rescheduling fee (USD 300 $) and appear for the exam 6 months later. It is recommended to check your photo ID to ensure it is valid. As plan B, try carrying even two valid photo ID. It is simply not worth it to be refused at the exam centre for an ID issue after all the time, effort and money you have spent.

Prior to the examination, you shall be given the key to a locker to keep your belongings. You are not allowed to use the locker until you have completed the exam. However, you are allowed to use the locker during the 45 minutes break.

Tutorial

There is a tutorial prior to exam and it explains how the buttons work. You can also find the tutorial via the below link which is an exact replica of the tutorial you shall see prior to the exam:

https://www.api.org/~/media/Files/Certification/ICP/Examinations/20190905_Tutorial_510%20570%20653.pdf

You can end the tutorial session earlier whenever you feel comfortable enough working with the icons. The exam would automatically start after the 10 minutes allocated time for tutorial or if you end it earlier. The icons are simple and user friendly.

Remember that you can flag off those questions you are not sure of so you can return back to them during the remaining time. You can also right click on selected answers to eliminate them if you are confident that they are definitely the wrong answers. This will narrow down the possible right answers and therefore increases you chance of getting the right answer.

You can either review all the questions once again or review the flagged off questions or review incomplete questions (questions you have not attempted) by clicking on respective tabs during any remaining time left. The exam ends automatically when the remaining time showing on the right hand corner of the screen reaches zero.

No Negative Marking

The pass mark is roughly 70% for all the API examinations as API uses scaled grading to standardize the level of difficulty for all the exam schedules. No negative marking is applied. Therefore, it is recommended to answer all the questions.

At the end, click the ''review all'' button and peruse through the list to ensure that you have not skipped any question. You can also check ''review incomplete questions'' to ensure there is nothing on the list, that is, no question left unanswered.

API 570 Exam sequence

API core examinations contain two parts. First, you would answer the closed book part (2 hours 45 minutes for some 110 questions). After that, you have a maximum of 45 minutes break when you can leave the building and also use the locker.

After the break, you would start the second part (open book) and need to answer some 60 question within 3.75 hours of allocated time using the reference documents in PDF format available on the computer screen.

The ''word search'' is disabled so you should know which document and also which section you should look for each question.

In subsequent modules, we shall explain how you could navigate between documents to find the relevant information, chart or formulae that you need to solve an open book exam question.

45 Minute Exam Break between Closed & Open Book Parts

Remember that the open book or second part of the API core examinations automatically starts after the 45 minutes break or if you start the second part sooner by pressing the 'end the break' button. This means you should start your second part of examination (open book part) no later than 45 minutes after completing the first part in order not to lose any time. Try to report to the examination centre around 5 minutes before the end of the 45 minutes break to allow for time spent going through the security check and sign in.

During API 570 examinations, one of our candidates went for lunch and returned half an hour late. By the time, he started his second part of the exam; he was already some 30 minutes short of the allocated 3.75 hours because after the 45 minute break, the time for second part of the test (closed book) keeps running regardless of whether you are at your desk or not.

During the 45 minute break, you have access to your locker (mobile, belongings) and can go outside the building for lunch.

Tips on Time Management during exam

Remember, if you need to leave the examination room for say, using the toilet or drinking water, you need to take your ID with you, report to the security outside the examination room and sign out. On return, you shall go through the same initial security check and sign in. During all this time, the clock is running.

Remember, your exam is not concluded until your time is up or when you press the 'end exam' button (which asks for confirmation to ensure that you have not pressed it accidentally).

You can also see the list of attempted and non attempted questions by pressing the ''review all'' button. This would ensure that you have not left a question unanswered.

You can see the remaining time at the upper right hand corner of the screen. There are a few good tutorials in the API ICP (Individual Certification Program) website.

Remember that the clock does not stop when you use the bathroom or when you wish to make a comment on a particular question or for any other reason, so use the allocated time wisely. The allocated time seems to be enough to answer all the questions as well as reviewing them.

Number of Exam Questions

There are 170 questions in the core exams, of which only 140 are scored. The remaining 30 are pre-test questions and not marked towards your score, meaning these pre-test questions do not affect your score whether you have answered them correctly or incorrectly.

API does not tell you which ones these questions are. The reason for these non scored pre-test questions is that API frequently adds up new questions to their existing question bank. API needs to ensure that these questions are not significantly challenged by the candidates and also answered by a reasonable number of people before adding them to their question bank as scored questions.

Exam Result

Immediately, after completion of the exam, you shall receive an email notifying you whether you have passed or failed. Your preliminary exam result may be a ''preliminary pass'' which is normally a pass; a ''Preliminary Marginal'' which is too close to call or a ''Preliminary Not Pass'' which is a fail.

You shall receive your confirmed score up to 8 weeks after the last day of the 2 weeks examination window, sometime sooner. It takes another 6 – 8 weeks to receive the certification and the wallet card if you have passed.

If you fail, you need to apply for rescheduling and pay USD 300 $. You shall receive the exam authorization approval email normally within 2 – 3 working days. You shall then book your seat with the Prometric as soon as possible.

Certification & Recertification; and Cost

API 570 certification is valid for a three-year term and cost USD 940 $ each.

After 3 years, you need to apply for recertification demonstrating that you still work as an API 570 inspector for 20% of the time. Recertification cost USD 730 $.

You may apply for recertification 90 days prior to the certification expiration date, and for a 90-day grace period after. If an application is not submitted by the end of the 90-day grace period, the certification will expire. A new application and the full fee must be submitted, and you will need to pass the full version of the examination in order to be recertified.

API inspectors are required to take an on-line, open-book quiz every six years in order to recertify. Each quiz has 25 questions and addresses the changes in the relevant API codes over the past six years. You have a total of four hours to complete the quiz, and it may be paused or interrupted up to three times. If you fail the quiz once, you will be able to take it again. If you fail the quiz a second time, you will not be able to recertify. You will need to submit a new application and take the full version of the exam to certify again.

Publications Effectivity Sheet & Body of knowledge

Publications effectivity sheet is the list of applicable reference documents that you need to study for the exam. It also tells you which sections of each document are applicable. It can be revised from time to time when the codes and recommended practices or their addendum are revised and becomes applicable. Red texts indicate a revision or a change from the previous API Effectivity Sheet.

Body of knowledge (BoK) lists the reference codes and recommended practices (without revision number) and elaborates on topics that a piping inspector needs to know giving examples. It shows what you are expected to know.

Our e-learning is particularly designed around the reference documents and the BoK.

Area of examination scores

Below please find a sample score sheet showing the maximum number of score you could achieve for each area. This should give you a fair idea of importance and weightage of each area of knowledge.

Api 570 Certification Body of Knowledge

Source: https://inspector-training.com/courses/api-570-piping-inspector/lessons/module-1-api-570-exam-and-study-tips-2/