EN10204 is a British Standard that specifies the different types of inspection documents supplied to the purchaser, in accordance with the requirements of the order, for the delivery of all metallic products. These products can include plates, sheets, bars, tubes, castings, and, yes, forgings for flanges. As an expert manufacturer of pipe flanges, Piping Supplies can provide complete traceability of all items in compliance with this standard.
Mill Test Report (MTR), is issued by a manufacturer to certify the chemical and mechanical features of a product and its compliance to the material specifications. Typically, mill test reports conform to the EN 10204 standard. Certification of steel made in Europe is generally to EN 10204. The actual certificate will depend on the type of steel but will either be 3.1 or 3.2. A 3.1 or 3.2. This means the actual heat lot sold will have been tested and a Mill Test Report (MTR) will accompany the shipment.
A mill test report to EN 10204 generally includes the following information:
- Manufacturer name
- Product name and dimensions
- Quantity covered by the certificate (example: tons, with heat numbers)
- Heat numbers and batch number (physically shown on the product as well)
- Final test result
- Dimensional measurements, to check compliance with allowed tolerances (example, for steel pipes: diameter, wall thickness, length, straightness)
- Material grade and applicable specification, including results of chemical and mechanical tests
- Results of additional tests, like hydrostatic, ultrasounds (UT), hardness, impact test, magnetic particles, metal graphic result etc.
EN 10204 2.1 Certification
EN 10204 2.1 certification is the lowest level of certification to EN 10204. In this the manufacturer, or mill, simply declares that he has produced the steel plates to the purchasers specification or order requirements. No evidence in the form of test results is included in the certificate. Likewise it is acceptable for the person in charge of manufacture to issue the certificate.
Certificate EN 10204 type 2.2
The difference between 2.2 certification and 2.1 certification is that the results of generic tests carried out on the product of interest are added. These tests are the tests published in the product data sheet. Thus, a 2.1 certificate containing laboratory test results becomes a 2.2 certificate.
Another model of certificate 2.2 is the result of a random dimensional analysis performed on a product from a given batch. The manufacturer is not obliged to repeat this analysis each time the product is manufactured. The dimensions shown should be considered as general and under no circumstances should it be understood that they are the exact measurements of the product in the batch of interest.
The issuance of the 2.2 certificate can be done either by the manufacturer for the customer or by the reseller for a third party.
The 2.2 certificate does not allow any kind of traceability on the item of interest, it is a declaration of conformity with respect to what the customer buys and what is served to him.
EN 10204 3.1 Certification
3.1 certificate can only be issued by the manufacturer of the product and certifies that the manufactured product technically satisfies the order and as proof of this, the results of the tests requested by the customer are provided. The type of test and how to carry it out must be previously defined in the order. The report is signed by someone outside the manufacturer’s production department; it is usually the personnel of the Quality Control Laboratory. It has a high economic cost, since it is an individual test of the product to be served, and it must be requested to the technical department prior to the order.
Whatever requirement is required for a particular item, the 3.1 certificate is the statement of compliance.
The 3.1 certificate allows traceability on the item of interest.
Test results are validated by the mill’s in–house test department which has to be independent of the manufacturing department.
EN 10204 3.2 Certification
EN 10204 3.2 Certification is more rigorous and the certificate is prepared jointly by the mill’s inspection department and an independent 3rd party inspectors such as SGS,BV,ASBS. The certificate states that the plates are compliant with the relevant specification and the mill test certificate is included. The 3.2 certificate is not usually issued due to the high costs involved.
The 3.2 certificate allows traceability on the item of interest.
Summary of EN 10204 Inspection Documents
| Certificate Type | Document Type | Document Content | Document Validated By |
|---|---|---|---|
| EN10204 2.1 | Declaration of Compliance with the Order | Statement of compliance with the order | The Mill |
| EN10204 2.2 | Test Report | Statement of compliance with the order, with indication of results of non specifics inspection | The Mill |
| EN10204 3.1 | Inspection Certificate 3.1 | Statement of compliance with the order, with indication of results of specific inspection | The Mill’s authorised inspection representative who is independent of the manufacturing department |
| EN10204 3.2 | Inspection Certificate 3.2 | Statement of compliance with the order, with indication of results of specific inspection | The mill’s authorised inspection representative who is independent of the manufacturing department and either the purchasers authorised inspection representative or the inspector designated by official regulations |
Test Certificate Standards and Types
Each of the certificate types has a reference number, which has both its content and ‘validation’ requirements described in the standard in Appendix A, Table A.1. These descriptions are sometimes a little difficult to interpret and need some additional interpretation. The table below shows the full range of current, (C), and withdrawn, (W), EN 10204 certificate types, with some interpretation of what they cover. In any case of dispute however the descriptions given in Table A.1 of EN 10204:2004 should be used.
| Certificate type | Title | Status | Summary of EN10204 requirements | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2.1 | Declaration of compliance with the order | C | Statement of compliance with the order by the manufacturer. | No test results shown. |
| 2.2 | Test report | C | Statement of compliance with the order by the manufacturer based on non-specific inspections, (tests), by the manufacturer. | Like the old BS1449 ‘Cast Test’ certificate. Mechanical test sample results from another coil from same cast, manufactured by the same process route, can be used. |
| 2.3 | Specific test report | W | With mention of test results from specific inspection and testing | Batch test results needed on the certificate. Difficult to distinguish this from the 3.1B type. |
| 3.1 | Inspection certificate | C | Statement of compliance with the order by the manufacturer with results of specific inspection | Replaces 3.1B. Common certificate type issued for ‘batch tested’ material. Cert. issued and signed by manufacturer’s representative, who must be independent of the manufacturing department. E.g. Inspection department or test house manager/supervisor. |
| 3.1A | Inspection certificate 3.1A | W | With mention of test results from specific inspection and testing | Batch test results. Cert. issued by independent inspector required by releasing authority, (e.g. TUV for German pressure vessels). Replaced by 3.2 in 2004 |
| 3.1B | Inspection certificate 3.1B | W | With mention of test results from specific inspection and testing | Batch test results. Cert. issued and signed by manufacturer’s representative. Replaced by 3.1 in 2004 |
| 3.1C | Inspection certificate 3.1C | W | With mention of test results from specific inspection and testing | Batch test results. Cert. issued by independent inspector appointed by customer, (e.g. Lloyds). Replaced by 3.2 in 2004 |
| 3.2 | Inspection certificate | C | Statement of compliance with order with indication of results of specific inspection | Batch test results. Cert. issued by both manufacturer’s representative and an independent inspector appointed either by the customer, (c.f. withdrawn 3.1C), or an inspector designated by official regulations, (c.f. withdrawn 3.1A), i.e. 3.2 now covers scope of both 3.1A and 3.1C of 1991 edition. This covers what is often referred to as ‘outside inspection’ |
Differences between EN 10204-3.1 and 3.2 Certificates
EN 10204 contains 4 types of document type, 2.1, 2.2, 3.1 and 3.2. Type 2.1 and 2.2 are validated by the manufacturer. Type 3.1 and 3.2 are not only validated by manufacturer.
Type 2.1, The content is statement of compliance with the order. Validated by manufacturer.
Type 2.2, Statement of compliance with the order, with indication of results of non specific inspection. Validated by manufacturer.
Type 3.1, Statement of compliance with the order, with indication of results of specific inspection. Authorized inspection representative by the manufacturer, but is independent of the manufacturing department.
Type 3.2, Statement of compliance with the order, with indication of results of specific inspection. Authorized inspection representative by the manufacturer, independent of manufacturing department and either the buyer’s authorized inspection representative or the inspector designated by the official regulations.