Summary of EN10204 Inspection Documents

Certificate
Type

Document Type

EN10204
2.1

Declaration of Compliance with

the Order

EN10204
2.2

Test Report

EN10204
3.1

EN10204
3.2

Inspection Certificate 3.1

Inspection Certificate 3.2

Document
Content
Statement
of
complianc
e with the
order
Statement
of
complianc
e with the
order, with
indication
of results
of non
specifics
inspection
Statement
of
complianc
e with the
order, with
indication
of results
of specific
inspection
Statement
of
complianc
e with the
order, with
indication
of results
of specific
inspection

Document Validated By

The Mill

The Mill

The Mill's authorised

inspection
representative who is
independent of the
manufacturing
department
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

EN10204 2.1 Certification

EN10204 2.1 certification is the lowest level of certification to EN10204. 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.

EN10204 2.2 Certification

EN10204 2.2 Certification is again issued by the steel mill. In this case the mill
states that the steel meets the requirements of the customers specification or
order and test results are included in the certificate to demonstrate that this is the
case. There is no separation between the QA department who issue the certificate
and the manufacturing department so with a 2.2 certificate it is possible that cases
of conflict of interest could arise.

It is also worth noting that the test results may not actually reflect the products that
are supplied. What this means is that manufacturer could have a sampling process
for their QA system that tested 1% of plates. They then deliver test certificates for
this 1% of plates with the order but the plates actually supplied are never tested.
You consequently rely on the strength of the mills QA system to be producing a
homogenous product with little variability.

EN10204 3.1 Certification

EN10204 3.1 certification requires the mill to do several important things. First it
has to produce test results for the plates being bought. So the test results on the
certificate are for the actual plates purchased and describe accurately (to the limits
of the sampling techniques used to do the test) the actual plates purchased

Secondly it requires the test department to be formally independent of the

manufacturing department. This means that the manufacturing department doesnt
do the tests and has no power to alter, amend or influence the test results. As a
result, when combined with a quality system such as EN9001:2010, the EN10204
3.1 certificate has significantly more authority than a 2.1 or 2.2 certificate. This is
because the steel plates are tested and certified by a person independent of the
one who made them

EN10204 3.2 Certification

This is the most rigorous certification level available for steel plates. Like EN 10204
3.1 the test results of the actual plates being purchased are included on the Mill test
certificate. The mills test department, again independent of the manufacturing
department, has to validate the test results. However the purchaser, or the
governments representative have also to validate the test results as well.

What this means is that there is a person who is completely independent of the mill
inspecting the test results and ensuring that that reflect the underlying physical and
chemical characteristics of the steel plates. Being totally independent he is able to
resist and pressure to collude in altering the results and misrepresent the product
being sold.

In practice the major classification societies normally acts as the independent third
party validation authorities. This may be because they have been appointed by the
mill, or because a purchaser requires plates to be approved by a particular
classification society; such as Lloyds, TUV or DNV.

EN 10204 3.1 CERTIFICATION

3.1 is a certificate issued by the mill which declares that the plates are in compliance with the
specification and includes the test results.
Test results are validated by the mills inhouse 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 mills
inspection department and an independent 3rd party inspectors such as TUV or Lloyds Register.
The certificate states that the plates are compliant with the relevant specification and the mill test
certificate is included.
WHAT DOES THE INDEPENDENT 3RD PARTY DO VERIFY A EN 10204 3.2 CERTIFICATE

The surveyor, as they are known, will visit the steel mill and then identify the material that he (or
she) has to verify. This includes visual inspection of the steel plates, checking the dimensions of
some on a sampling basis and confirming that the steel plate can be traced all the way back to
the ladle chemical analysis. This is usually done by using the mills EN 10204 3.1 certificate that
has already been produced.
The key fact here is to establish that the plate has some marking on it that corresponds to the the
test certificate which in turn has a documentation trail back to the analysis taking where the steel
was being made. The marking on the plate needs to be permanent ie stamped, etched or
stencilled onto the plate. Paint, chalk and grease marks are not acceptable as they could easily be
wiped off and replaced.
The 3.1 certificate is also checked to determine that the characteristics recorded on it comply
with all the requirements of the standard and a;so for its chemical composition, heat treatment
and any NDE testing. The surveyor then identifies the test sample from the plate or heat being
tested and then visits the test centre whilst the test is being done.
As part of this they will consider not only the test results but also the test process and the
calibration of the test machinery to ensure that the est results are reliable.
Once this is done and everything is in compliance the surveyor then returns to the steel mill and
signs and stamps the en 10204 3.2 test certificate and ensures that the product being verified is
stamped.
EN10204 HISTORY

EN 10204 originally started off as DIN 50049 which was a German DIN standard specifying the
test certificate requirements for metallic products. When CEN started the process of harmonising
European standards in the late eighties it was decided that the German standard fitted the new
requirements best (in part because of the heavier influence of manufacturing in Germany and the
rapid rise of the concept of Total Quality Management which led to ISO9001). As a result the
new European standard in 1991 drew significantly on the German certificate names and
definitions.
With broader use and acceptance of test certificates there was pressure to clarify some of the
issues and in 2004 the standard was reissued with the list of certificates available reduced and
simplified.