API 570 study: link piping locations to inspection records
Two study sheets can both say “Point 04” while describing different piping locations. Before treating them as a pair, explain how their full identifiers and drawing references connect. A matching short label is only the beginning of that check.
What connects a piping location to its record?
API’s 2026 API 570 Body of Knowledge includes inspection records and reports. For study, practice tracing a record back to the location it describes. This exercise develops that reading habit without choosing inspection points or making equipment decisions.
Begin with the supplied identifiers, drawing number, revision and any cross-reference. Copy them exactly into your notes. If the packet leaves a connection unexplained, write the missing link as a question instead of completing it from memory.
Sources: API 570: 2026 Body of Knowledge.
Follow one fictional reference from sheet to drawing
Imagine an exercise asks about Circuit C1 / Point 04. Sheet A names that full identifier and refers to Drawing D-10, Revision 2. Sheet B says Circuit C2 / Point 04 and refers to Drawing D-20, Revision 1.
If the supplied D-10 Revision 2 shows Circuit C1 / Point 04, you can explain the link between Sheet A and that drawing entry. Sheet B’s repeated “Point 04” does not establish the same connection. Keep its different circuit and drawing references visible.
This invented example establishes a relationship within a study packet. It does not verify a physical installation or make readings from different records interchangeable.
Identify what an incomplete packet cannot establish
For each fictional case below, cover the final column and write the specific record or clarification you would look for.
| Packet item | What remains unresolved | Question to take back to the exercise |
|---|---|---|
| A photograph shows Point 04, with no circuit or drawing reference. | Which location the photograph represents. | What caption or cross-reference links this image to the full identifier? |
| Two sketches repeat a label; a separate note describes a component replacement. | How the earlier and later entries relate. | Which drawing revision or replacement record explains the relationship? |
| The exercise index names Line L-12; an attached sheet names Line L-21. | Whether the intended attachment was supplied. | Can the exercise explanation or instructor clarify this mismatch? |
Write an answer someone else can follow
Replace “These are the same point” with a precise statement: “Sheet A and Drawing D-10 Revision 2 both identify Circuit C1 / Point 04.” If the link is missing, say what you still need.
Keep the packet item, exact reference and unresolved question together in your study notes. After reviewing the explanation, record what resolved the uncertainty. This makes a later practice attempt more useful than simply marking the first answer wrong.
Continue with the course and applicable exam references
NDT Academy’s API 570 preparation includes piping documentation and inspection-record topics. Review the syllabus, then try the practice exam to choose your next lesson.
API lists study documents by exam window; check the current program page for the documents that apply to your planned exam. Course preparation and completion do not award API certification. Review API’s eligibility and application requirements separately.
Sources: API: API 570 program, study documents and eligibility.
Sources and further reading
Sources checked on September 26, 2026. Follow the current requirements from your employer or certification body when planning qualification or an examination.