EN 10204:2004 - Type 3.

2 Inspection
Certification

With the introduction of EC directives, such as the Pressure Equipment Directive

(PED), there is an increasing requirement for product manufacturers to prove the
materials they use meet defined chemical and mechanical properties. This has led to
the authentication of material certification requirements under the standard
EN10204:2004. This factsheet gives more information about achieving certification
under Type 3.2 of that standard.

Background prepared by both the manufacturers Examples of manufacturers are:

In Germany, inspection documents
(certificate types) were originally specified
in standard DIN 50049. These definitions
of material testing and certificate types
were adopted for European standard
EN 10204, first published in 1991 when
certificate types 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 3.1A, 3.1B,
3.1C and 3.2 were defined, which closely
followed the definitions in the German
standard.
EN 10204 was revised in 2004 with a
simplified range of inspection documents
(certificate types). These now only include
types 2.1, 2.2, 3.1 and 3.2.
Type 2.3 has been deleted
Type 3.1 replaces 3.1B
Type 3.2 replaces 3.1A, 3.1C and 3.2 of
the previous edition
This reduced range of options was
designed to make the standard easier to
understand and work with.
What is a true Type 3.2 certification?
Inspection certificate Type 3.2 is defined
within EN10204:2004 as a Document
authorized inspection representative, steelmakers, foundries, smelters, forgers,
independent of the manufacturing pipe/plate mills, etc.
department and either the purchasers
authorized representative or the inspector Therefore, true EN 10204:2004 Type
designated by the official regulations and 3.2 certification is produced by the
in which they declare that the products manufacturer, with test results supplied.
supplied are in compliance with the The independent third-party inspector
requirements of the order and in which will have witnessed test results and
test results are supplied. verified the materials identification and
traceability through objective evidence.
Industry recognises an independent third
party inspection as fulfilling the role of
purchasers authorized representative or
the inspector designated by the official
regulations.
EN 10204:2004 defines the manufacturer
as an organization that manufactures
the respective products according to the
requirements of the order and to the
properties specified in the referenced
product specification.
A manufacturer will be any party which
carries out operations affecting the
material properties of the finished
product.

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for a safer world
How to achieve
certification
Lloyds Register offers an independent
third party inspection role to
manufacturers for Type 3.2 certification.
This involves visiting the manufacturer
where the surveyor will identify the
material to be verified. This includes a
visual examination, sample dimensional
checks and confirmation that the material
is traceable back to the ladle chemical
analysis, which may be in the form of an
EN 10204:2004 Type 3.1 certificate. The
traceable reference may be the cast or
heat number, test number or some other
reference clearly traceable back to the
ladle analysis.
The traceable reference would normally
be marked on the component by the
manufacturer via indelible means, i.e.
hard stamping, etching, stenciling or
other indelible marking. Adequate
material is identified by the surveyor
for further testing, with the traceable
identity transferred, including test
stamp marking of the original piece.
Documentation would be reviewed
against specification for compliance with
chemical composition, heat treatment
and non-destructive examination.
The LR surveyor would also visit the test
house (either a department independent
of production within the manufacturer
or a sub-contract independent nationally
or internationally accredited test facility)
to witness the appropriate tests (tensile,
impacts, bend tests, hardness etc.) and
review any applicable metallurgical tests
(corrosion, structure etc.) as specified in
the standard or specification and review
the results obtained to ensure they meet
the requirements.
Providing all the testing and examinations
meet with the specified requirements,
the surveyor would carry out a final
visit to the manufacturer to verify
that the material meets the product
specification as defined in EN
10204:2004, review and countersign their
Type 3.2 certification and inspect and
To find out more about how we can help:
Visit: www.lr.org/inspection Email: inspection@lr.org
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July 2016
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hard stamp, or otherwise indelibly mark
the material.
Certification to the Intent of Type 3.2
Often in industry, the purchaser (end
user) will order material from an
intermediate material handler. The
intermediate material handler may select
material that has only been certified
by the manufacturer using a Type 3.1
certificate. As defined by EN10204:2004,
this certification has not been validated
by an independent third party inspector.
However, it is widely accepted that
material covered by Type3.1 certification
can be validated to the intent of Type
3.2 by the intermediate material handler
employing an independent third party
inspector to validate this material by way
of verification tests.
LR offers an independent third party
inspection role to intermediate material
handlers or processors for intent-of
Type 3.2 certification. This involves visiting
the intermediate material handler to
identify the material to be verified. This
includes a visual examination, sample
dimensional checks and confirmation that
the material is traceable back to the ladle
chemical analysis which may be in the
form of an EN 10204 Type 3.1 certificate.
The traceable reference may be the cast
or heat number, test number or some
other reference clearly traceable back
to the mill certificate. The traceable
reference would normally be marked on
the component by the original material
manufacturer via indelible means, either
hard stamping, etching, stenciling or
other indelible marking. Adequate
material is identified by the surveyor for
further testing with the traceable identity
transferred, including test stamp marking
of the original piece.
The LR surveyor would also visit the
test house, normally a sub-contract
independent nationally or internationally
accredited test facility, to witness all
additional testing of the material that is
necessary to confirm compliance with the
specification.
Providing all the testing and examinations
meet with the specified requirements,
the surveyor would carry out a final visit
to the intermediate material handler
to review documentation (including
the original manufacturers Type 3.1
certificate), verify that the material
meets the product specification and the
customers purchase order requirements,
and inspect and hard stamp the material.
The surveyor will then issue a LR
certificate to the intent of EN10204:2004
Type 3.2, referencing the laboratory test
report and the material manufacturers
Type 3.1 certificate.
Any material inspected to the intent
of EN 10204:2004 Type 3.2 must not be
passed off to customers as being certified
in accordance with true EN 10204:2004
Type 3.2.
The acceptability of any certification
to the intent of Type 3.2 should be
confirmed with the purchaser, customer
or end user before work starts. In some
applications a true EN 10204:2004 Type
3.2 certificate is required and intent
of Type 3.2 certification will not be
acceptable.
In both cases described above, LR
surveyors responsible for the third
party inspection can, at the clients
request, issue inspection certificates that
detail the scope of inspection carried
out and include a statement that the
manufacturers EN10204:2004 Type 3.2
certificate has been endorsed, or stating
that the intent of EN10204:2004 Type 3.2
has been met, as applicable.
Benefits of using Lloyds Register
Technical expertise
Assurance that products meet the
specified standard
Acceptance by authorities worldwide
Global and local network of
experienced surveyors
Limits your risk