We are having a piece of piping completely supported on springs; there can be some variation in as-built weight of piping from the estimated load on which springs hot loads are calculated. We will be proposing piping to be kept free on unlocked springs first; then, cold spring loads will be tuned and in that condition, springs will be locked. Then, welded nozzle alignments will be made and welds will be made with the equipment nozzles.

For a high temperature piping, is it a practice widely followed ? Or, by making a piping reanalysis with as-built piping assembly weight calculated from spools, we can simply do nozzle alignment with locked springs at recalculated cold load settings?

regards,
sam