What does an EN 10204 3.1 certificate mean?

EN 10204 defines the types of inspection document that can accompany metallic products. The two that matter commercially are 3.1 and 3.2.

3.1 is issued by the manufacturer's inspection representative, who must be independent of the manufacturing department. It states specific test results on the actual heat or batch delivered: cast chemistry, yield and tensile strength, elongation, impact values where required, and the heat treatment condition, all tied to a heat number that is also marked on the plate or pipe.

3.2 is the same document, countersigned by an independent third party — either the buyer's nominated inspector or an inspector named in the regulation (TUV, SGS, Bureau Veritas, Lloyd's). Pressure equipment to PED, and most oil and gas project specifications, call for 3.2 on critical items.

Type 2.1 (declaration of compliance) and 2.2 (test report with non-specific results) are not traceable to your material and are not acceptable where a code or a client specification calls for 3.1. If a quotation is unusually cheap, the certificate type is the first thing to check.

Axicor supplies every grade with EN 10204 3.1 as standard and arranges 3.2 with third-party witness on request. Certificates are issued against the heat number stamped on the material, and copies are kept on file for re-issue.