When a process skid contains pressure vessels, heat exchangers and process piping, the code it is built to matters as much as the process it runs. For projects in North America, that code is almost always ASME. An ASME process skid is a self-contained module whose pressure-retaining parts are designed, welded, examined and tested to the ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code and the related piping codes. For buyers, ASME code skid fabrication means predictable quality, traceable records and fewer surprises on site.
Rockerhill, a ASME process skid manufacturer established in 2011, builds modular process skids to ASME requirements from its 17,000 square metre manufacturing hub in Jiangsu, China, with its head office in Beijing.
What "Built to ASME" Means in Practice
On an ASME process skid, three parts of the code do most of the work:
- ASME BPVC Section VIII governs the design and fabrication of pressure vessels such as scrubbers, separators and buffer tanks.
- ASME B31.3 covers the process piping that ties the skid together.
- ASME BPVC Section IX sets the rules for welding procedures and welder qualification.
Compliance is more than a design stamp on a drawing. It depends on traceable material certificates, qualified welding procedures and welders, the required examination, and pressure testing before the skid leaves the workshop. Rockerhill keeps material and welding records for each pressure part, so the documentation package follows the equipment to site.
Because code edition, stamping and third-party inspection requirements differ from project to project, Rockerhill agrees these arrangements with the client in writing before design starts. This removes a common cause of delay in ASME code skid fabrication: finding out late that the inspection route does not match what the jurisdiction requires.
Design and Engineering Capability
Rockerhill's core businesses span design and engineering, manufacturing and modularization, contracting, and services. Its team includes more than 30 professional technical staff, among them 20 senior engineers and nationally registered engineers.
Every custom skid starts with engineering the client can review. The P&ID, general arrangement and 3D layout are agreed with the client before fabrication begins. Material selection is matched to the service, with options including SS304, SS316L, duplex stainless steel, higher alloys and coated carbon steel. Controls can be delivered as a local panel, a PLC, or an interface to the customer's DCS.
Large systems are split into modular sections for container or break-bulk shipping, reducing field work.
Factory Acceptance Testing Before Shipment
Rockerhill performs factory acceptance testing (FAT) before shipment, and clients can witness it in person or by video. The FAT covers document review, dimensional and visual inspection, pressure and leak tests with NDE where required, electrical and loop checks, functional runs, punch-list close-out, and a final report with photographs.
Canadian Project Reference: CO2 Direct Air Capture Skid
Rockerhill's Canadian reference is an ASME process skid for a CO2 direct air capture (DAC) project. Awarded in May 2026 after an intense international competitive bidding process, the contract covers 27 supply line items, including custom heat exchangers, vacuum scrubbers, a dry screw compressor, a vacuum pump, a local control panel, a transformer, detailed engineering, and full skid assembly.
The balance-of-plant skid receives CO2 and condensate from the DAC units, cools and dries the gas, compresses it and sends it downstream, with its own closed cooling-water loop, relief protection and controls. Canadian winters shaped the design: the container includes ventilation and electric heating to hold a minimum interior temperature, and process lines are insulated for extreme cold.
Canada adds its own layer to ASME code skid fabrication. Pressure vessels and pressure piping fall under CSA B51, and each design must be registered with the provincial authority and receive a Canadian Registration Number (CRN) before installation. Electrical components are expected to carry cUL or CSA certification. Rockerhill raises these requirements early so registration runs alongside engineering.
International Experience Behind Every ASME process Skid
Beyond Canada, Rockerhill has delivered skids for clients including Seiko Epson in Singapore, BP in Zhuhai, Sinopec in Shandong, and oil and gas projects in Iraq and Pakistan. In the United States, it has built a low-concentration hydrogen peroxide production skid to that project's code requirements. Every skid is backed by commissioning support, training, spare parts lists and an 18-month warranty.
Talk to Rockerhill About Your Next ASME Process Skid
If your project needs an ASME process skid, a CRN-ready design for Canada, or a custom modular process skid built and tested before it ships, contact Rockerhill through www.rockerhillcn.com to discuss your specification.
