EN 10204 3.1 and 3.2 Inspection Certificates

 

What is the difference between EN 10204 3.1 and 3.2 Inspection Certificates?

·         A Mill Test Certificate (MTC), or Mill Test Report (MTR), is issued by a manufacturer to certify the chemical and mechanical features of a product and its compliance to the applicable norms and technical specifications. Typically, Mill Test Certificates conform to the EN 10204 standard and are related to steel products.

·         When purchasing steel products, metal manufacturers should release the MTC (Mill Test Certificate) to the buyer.

·         The MTC contains all specifications of steel products including weight, dimensions, chemical composition, mechanical strength, heat treatment status, test results, traceability, etc.

·         This information is to ensure that a certain standard of quality for steel products has been met.

·         In Germany, inspection documents and certifications were originally specified in the DIN 50049 standard.

·         The definitions of material testing and certificate types in DIN 50049 was eventually adopted for the European standard EN 10204, first published in 1991.

·         Certificate types 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 3.1A, 3.1B, 3.1C, and 3.2 were defined, closely following the definitions in the German standard.

·         EN 10204 was revised in 2004 and published as BS EN 10204:2004, Metallic Products—Types of Inspection Documents, 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, and Type 3.2 replaces 3.1A, 3.1C and 3.2. A brief overview of each of the BS EN 10204 certificate types is shown below.

Certificate Type	Title	Summary of EN 10204 Requirements
2.1	Declaration of Compliance with the Order, no test results are given.	Statement of compliance with the order by the manufacturer.
2.2	Test Report	Statement of compliance with the order by the manufacturer based on non-specific inspections (tests) by the manufacturer.
3.1	Inspection Certificate	Statement of compliance with the order by the manufacturer with results of specific inspection
3.2	Inspection Certificate	Statement of compliance with the order with indication of results of specific inspection

 

MILL TEST CERTIFICATE

·         A mill test certificate to EN 10204 shows, generally, the following information:

·         Type of certificate and standard (example EN 10204 3.1 or EN 10204 3.2)

·         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.

·         Addenda useful to appraise the full features of the product

EN 1024 3.1 MILL TEST CERTIFICATE

Certificate type	Title	Summary of EN10204 requirements	Notes
3.1	Inspection certificate	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 the manufacturer’s representative, who must be independent of the manufacturing department. Eg Inspection department or test house manager/supervisor.
3.1A	Inspection certificate 3.1A	With a mention of test results from specific inspection and testing	Batch test results. Cert. issued by independent inspector required by releasing authority (eg TUV for German pressure vessels). Replaced by 3.2 in 2004
3.1B	Inspection certificate 3.1B	With a mention of test results from specific inspection and testing	Batch test results. Cert. issued and signed by the manufacturer’s representative. Replaced by 3.1 in 2004
3.1C	Inspection certificate 3.1C	With a mention of test results from specific inspection and testing	Batch test results. Cert. issued by an independent inspector appointed by a customer (eg Lloyds). Replaced by 3.2 in 2004

 

DIFFERENCES BETWEEN 3.1 AND 3.2

·         The EN 10204 Type 3.1 Inspection Certificate are actual test results from the material in the lot from which the steel products have been supplied (formally referred to as “specific testing”). A 3.1 Inspection Certificate is endorsed only by the manufacturers own representative who has to be independent from the manufacturing process, such as the Quality department or a test house manager/supervisor.

·         The EN 10204 Type 3.2 Inspection Certificate is similar to the 3.1, but has additionally been countersigned and verified by an independent third-party to validate the material by way of verification test. When the 3.2 certificate type is requested the manufacturing mill may prepare a 3.1 type certificate to present to the ‘outside inspector’ to use as a basis for preparing the independent 3.2 certificate.

·         With a wide offering of sanitary process components, Holland Applied Technologies is familiar with the requirements of a Type 3.1 inspection certificate and we understand its importance to our customers. While the 3.2 certificate is rare due to the higher cost, it provides independent assurance of a material’s properties.