Exam Cheat Sheet · Quick Reference

Oklahoma Process Piping Journeyman

Oklahoma · PSI Services Contractor

Verified, not estimated. Every figure below is drawn from the official exam structure we maintain — question counts, passing standard and topic weighting. Practice questions are grounded in the source law with statute citations. We omit any figure we can't verify rather than guess at it.

Total questions

Passing score

70%

Exam time

120 min

Administered by

PSI Services Contractor

Format

Reference materials allowed

Oklahoma State Portion 35 questions

General Knowledge and Definitions 6 Q · 17%

Pipe and fitting terminology and definitions (Pipefitters Dictionary)Pipe material types and identification (steel, wrought iron, copper, plastic)Pipe schedule designations and dimensional standardsPipe measurement units and conversion factorsMathematical formulas and trigonometric functions used in pipefittingPiping system identification and color coding standardsProperties and characteristics of pipe materials (weights, melting points)Types and uses of pipe joints and connections

Plan Reading 3 Q · 9%

Reading and interpreting pipe bend calculations from drawings and tablesIdentifying pipe fitting dimensions and laying lengths from plansUnderstanding offset connections and travel/run relationships on piping drawingsReading flange and valve specifications from technical drawingsInterpreting pipe thread and screwed fitting dimensionsUnderstanding pipe support spacing requirements as shown on plansReading mitered joint and branch connection layouts from fabrication drawings

Pipe Materials, Uses, and Properties 5 Q · 14%

Types and classifications of steel and wrought iron pipe by schedule and weightCopper tube types (K, L, M, DWV) and their dimensions and applicationsPlastic pipe materials (PVC, polyethylene, ABS, butyrate) and their properties and pressure limitsMinimum bending radius for standard weight pipeChemical resistance and corrosion properties of pipe materialsPhysical properties and relative costs of thermoplastic pipe materialsIdentification of piping systems by material and color codingThermal expansion characteristics of metal and plastic pipe materials

Piping Installation and Fitting 8 Q · 23%

Pipe bend calculations: setback, arc length, and radius relationshipsOffset bend types and travel/run computations for standard anglesWelded pipe fabrications: mitered turns, branch connections, and wye layoutsButt welding fitting dimensions: elbows, tees, reducers, crosses, and capsScrewed and flanged fitting dimensions and laying lengthsPipe support spacing for metal and plastic piping systemsPipe thread standards, engagement lengths, and threading proceduresSoldering, brazing, and plastic pipe joining methods

Hangers and Supports 5 Q · 14%

Types of pipe hangers and support hardware (U-bolts, clevis, saddle, ring hangers)Spacing of supports for horizontal and sloping runs carrying waterSpacing of supports for horizontal and sloping runs carrying gas or steamEffect of temperature on support spacing intervalsSupport spacing for plastic pipe (PVC, polyethylene, ABS, butyrate)U-bolt dimensions for standard pipe sizesSupport requirements near heavy fittings and valvesContinuous support considerations for special conditions

Valves and Controls 5 Q · 14%

Gate valve types, components, and service characteristicsGlobe valve and angle valve operation and installationCheck valve types (swing and lift) and service applicationsValve laying lengths for butt welding ends by pressure ratingValve laying lengths for flanged connections by pressure ratingValve trouble shooting and maintenance proceduresValve end connection types (butt weld, flanged, screwed)

Safety 3 Q · 9%

Safe handling practices during pipe bending and fabrication operationsProper use and maintenance of pipe threading equipmentHazards associated with welding, brazing, and soldering processesMaterial identification and safe handling of pipe materials including plastic pipeSafe working practices for pipe support and hanger installationRecognition and identification of piping system contents through color coding and labelingValve operation and maintenance safety procedures

Key Distinctions

Type K copper tube (soft temper)vsType M copper tube

Soft temper Type K has thick walls recommended for underground lines carrying water, oil or gas (adequate to withstand backfill damage), while Type M is the lightest wall tube intended for soldered fittings only in vents, waste lines, interior drainage and other non-pressure uses.

Pipefitters Dictionary, Dimensions of Type L Copper Tube section

Standard Weight steel pipe (Schedule 40)vsExtra Strong steel pipe (Schedule 80)

Standard Weight matches Schedule 40 only from ⅛ through 10 inches (12–24 in. wall constant at 0.375 in.), while Extra Strong matches Schedule 80 only from ⅛ through 8 inches (10–24 in. wall constant at 0.500 in.).

Pipefitters Dictionary, Dimensions of Schedule 40 Steel and Wrought Iron Pipe — Notes

90° short radius tube turn/elbowvs90° long radius tube turn/elbow

Short radius elbows have a centerline radius equal to nominal diameter × 1.0, whereas long radius elbows have a centerline radius of nominal diameter × 1½.

Pipe Fitters Handbook, Page 2-40

Laying length 'Dimension 2 × A' (globe and angle valves)vsLaying length 'Dimension A' (gate and swing check valves)

Steel globe and angle valves — butt welding ends and all flanged face types/pressure ratings including ring joint at 1500 psi — are tabulated as face-to-face '2 × A,' while gate valves and swing check valves with butt welding ends use the single 'Dimension A.'

Pipefitter's Handbook (3rd ed.), Chapter 1 (Full Text), Laying Lengths of Steel Globe and Angle Valves With Butt Welding Ends

Globe valve with damaged disc-stem jointvsGlobe valve with seat damage or deposits under the disc

A damaged disc-stem joint is remedied by replacing the disc or stem, whereas seat damage requires replacing the valve and deposits under the disc require washing or cleaning.

Pipefitter's Handbook (3rd ed.), Chapter 1 (Full Text), Trouble Shooting Methods — Globe Valves, Page 5-10

Support spacing under 'Horizontal Runs'vsSupport spacing under 'Sloping Runs'

Horizontal run spacing values are based on stress, while sloping run values are based on gradient.

Spacing of Pipe Supports for Lines Carrying Water table notes

Polyethylene pipe support spacingvsSchedule 80 ABS pipe support spacing

Tabulated (Schedule 40 butyrate/ABS) spans must be decreased 50% for polyethylene but may be increased 20% for Schedule 80 ABS; insulated lines of plastic pipe other than PVC — and insulated PVC — are reduced 30%.

Pipe Fitters Handbook, Recommended Support Spacing for Plastic Pipe Other Than PVC section

PVC Type IvsType I (low density) polyethylene

PVC Type I has the highest tensile strength of all thermoplastic pipe (7,000 psi), excellent chemical resistance and a 160°F maximum temperature, while Type I polyethylene is limited to 120°F, has the highest coefficient of expansion (9.4 × 10⁻⁵ in/in/°F) and comes in coils up to 400 ft through 3 in. OD.

Pipefitters Dictionary, Characteristics of Pipe Plastics and Relative Physical Properties tables

PVC Type I chemical resistancevsABS, butyrate, and polyethylene chemical resistance

PVC Type I is rated satisfactory (S) for 75% sulfuric acid and for hydrochloric acid in both cold and hot service; for 75% sulfuric acid ABS, butyrate and polyethylene have unsatisfactory or limited ratings.

Pipe Fitters Handbook, Chemical Resistance Comparison Chart — Thermoplastics

U.S. gallonvsImperial gallon

One U.S. gallon equals 231 cubic inches; 277.3 cubic inches is the Imperial gallon.

Pipefitters Dictionary, Conversion Factors table

Pipe designated by inside diametervsO.D. pipe

Smaller steel pipe is usually designated by its inside diameter, but over 14 inches the nominal size is the outside diameter and the pipe is termed O.D.

Pipefitters Dictionary, Page 5-87 (O.D. Pipe entry)

Tangent of an anglevsCosine of an angle

Tangent is the opposite side divided by the adjacent side, while cosine is the adjacent side divided by the hypotenuse.

Pipefitters Dictionary, Solving Problems by Trigonometry section

Spacing table allowances for lines carrying watervsWhat the tables exclude

The water-line support spacing data (average conditions) includes allowance for insulation but does not include allowance for flanges, fittings and valves, which such as valves should always be located close to supports.

Pipe Fitters Handbook, Spacing of Pipe Supports for Lines Carrying Water section

Key Terms

Bull head tee Pipefitters Dictionary, Page 5-87

Per the Pipefitters Dictionary, a tee the branch of which is larger than the run.

O.D. pipe Pipefitters Dictionary, Page 5-87 (O.D. Pipe entry)

Pipe over 14 inches, where the nominal size is the outside diameter rather than the inside diameter.

Type K copper tube (soft temper) Pipefitters Dictionary, Dimensions of Type L Copper Tube section

Thick-wall copper tube recommended for underground lines carrying water, oil or gas because its walls withstand possible backfilling damage; nominal 2-inch has 2.125 in. O.D. and 1.959 in. I.D.

Type M copper tube Pipefitters Dictionary, Dimensions of Type M Copper Tube section

The lightest wall copper tube, for use with soldered fittings only, in vent pipe systems, waste lines, interior drainage, engineered piping and other non-pressure applications.

Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) Type I Pipefitters Dictionary, Characteristics of Pipe Plastics and Relative Physical Properties tables

Thermoplastic pipe with the highest tensile strength of all thermoplastic pipe (7,000 psi), excellent chemical resistance, and a maximum temperature of 160°F.

Acrylonitrile-Butadiene-Styrene (ABS) Pipe Fitters Handbook, Characteristics of Pipe Plastics — ABS section

Rigid thermoplastic pipe described as the lightest weight of all semi-rigid or rigid thermoplastic pipes.

Low-density (Type I) polyethylene pipe Pipe Fitters Handbook, Relative Physical Properties and Cost of Principal Thermoplastics table (Polyethylene section)

Thermoplastic pipe with a 120°F maximum temperature and a 9.4 × 10⁻⁵ in/in/°F expansion coefficient, available in coils up to 400 feet long through 3 inches OD.

Snaking (polyethylene in ditches) Pipe Fitters Handbook, Polyethylene pipe — buried line installation section

For permanent buried installations the pipe must not be tightly stretched but snaked at least one foot per 100 feet to allow for thermal contraction and expansion.

Setback (of a bend) Pipe Fitters Handbook, Setback and Length of 45° Bends section

The tangent distance for a bend, found by multiplying the bending radius by the angle's setback factor (e.g., 0.414 for 45°).

Length of arc Pipe Fitters Handbook, Page 1-1

The bend length measured along the pipe centerline (radius taken to the centerline), equal to degrees × 0.01745 × radius.

Travel (offset connection) Pipe Fitters Handbook, 45° Offset Bends section

The center-to-center length of the offset piece, obtained by multiplying the offset by the angle's travel factor (1.414 at 45°, 2.0000 at 30°, 2.6131 at 22½°, 3.8637 at 15°, 1.0515 at 72°).

Run (offset connection) Pipe Fitters Handbook, 60° Offset Bends section

The horizontal leg of an offset; it equals the offset at 45° (× 1.000) and offset × 0.5774 at 60°.

Cosecant of angle B Pipefitters Dictionary, Solving Problems by Trigonometry — trigonometric function definitions

Hypotenuse divided by opposite side (a/b), i.e., 1/sine B — the reciprocal of the sine.

Protective materials (Classification P) Pipefitters Dictionary, Identification of Piping Systems — Color Identification of Classifications table

Materials piped through plants to prevent or minimize the hazard of dangerous materials, identified by a bright blue predominant color with white legend letters.

Fire protection materials and equipment (Classification F) Pipefitters Dictionary, Identification of Piping Systems — Color Identification of Classifications table

Piping identified by a red background with white legend letters.

Safe materials identification Pipefitters Dictionary, Identification of Piping Systems — Color Identification of Classifications table

Piping carrying safe materials is identified by a green predominant color with black legend letters (dangerous materials use black letters on yellow).

Legend letter/color band sizing Pipefitters Dictionary, Identification of Piping Systems — Size of Color Bands and Legend Letters table

For pipe 2½ to 6 inches outside diameter, the color band width is 12 inches and the minimum legend letter height is 1¼ inches.

Antimony (in soft solder) Pipe Fitters Handbook, Page 3-1

An objectionable impurity that renders solder less fluid when melted and tends to prevent perfect adhesion of the surfaces.

Minimum bending radius (standard weight pipe) Pipe Fitters Handbook, Minimum Bending Radius for Standard Weight Pipe table

Shortest radius to which standard weight pipe can be cold bent with some flattening allowed — 6 in. for 2-inch and 12 in. for 4-inch pipe — while the minimum advisable radius recommended by A. M. Byers Co. is five times the nominal pipe size.

Torch bending technique Pipefitter's Handbook (3rd ed.), Fabrication of Bends section, Page 196 (1-96)

After the first heat at the setback point with the torch moving forward, heat evenly with repeated passes toward the end of the bend length, forming short sections continuously from one end of the arc to the other rather than applying all pressure at the center.

Formulas to Know

Length of arc in a pipe bend (measured on pipe centerline)Length of Arc = Number of Degrees × 0.01745 × Radius

Setback of a bend (multiplier × bending radius)

Setback = Radius × factor; 22½° = 0.199, 30° = 0.268, 45° = 0.414, 60° = 0.577, 72° = 0.727, 120° = 1.732, 135° = 2.41, 150° = 3.73

Length of bend for large-angle bends

Length of Bend = Radius × factor; 120° = 2.09, 135° = 2.36, 150° = 2.62, 180° = 3.14 (a 180° bend is regarded as two 90° bends)

Offset bend travel and run

Travel = Offset × (15° = 3.8637, 22½° = 2.6131, 30° = 2.0000, 45° = 1.4142, 60° = 1.1547, 72° = 1.0515); Run = Offset × (45° = 1.000, 60° = 0.5774) — e.g., 60° offset of 12 in.: Run = 12 × 0.5774 = 6.93 in.

Nipple length between two screwed 45° elbows in an offset

Nipple = (Offset × 1.414) − laying length of each fitting; e.g., 6 in. offset: 6 × 1.414 = 8½ in. center-to-center, minus 1 in. per elbow = 6½ in.

Thermal expansion of a pipe line

Expansion = (table value at operating temp − table value at install temp) × (Length ÷ 100); e.g., steel 400°F (3.245) − 60°F (0.449) = 2.796 in./100 ft × 5.0 = 13.98 in. for 500 ft

Miter cut angle for a 3-piece welded turn

Each joint = total turn angle ÷ 2 joints; each piece is mitered at half the joint angle — e.g., 3-piece 45° turn: 45/2 = 22½° joints, cut each piece at 11¼°

Dimension A (end straight length) for 3-piece welded turnsA = Radius of turn × factor; 3-piece 60° = .2679 (tan 15°), 3-piece 90° = .4142, 3-piece 45° = .1989

Plastic pipe support spacing adjustments from tabulated values

Schedule 80 ABS = table × 1.20 (e.g., 2 in. at 70°F: 5.0 × 1.20 = 6.0 ft); polyethylene = table × 0.50 (e.g., 1 in.: 3.5 × 0.50 = 1.75 ft); insulated lines (PVC and other plastics) = reduce span 30%

Threaded PVC pipe pressure rating and PVC bend radius limits

Threaded PVC operating pressure ≈ 55% of plain-end table value; minimum PVC bend radius on a grooved bending form = 5 × pipe diameter without flattening

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