The control documents that anyone buying steel strips, plates and sheets might ask their suppliers to provide in order to check conformity with the order specifications, are laid down in the standard UNI EN 10204.
People are often unsure of the differences in the control documents they might ask their supplier to provide.
To avoid futile red tape when exchanging supply documents for semi-finished steel products, it’s a good idea to know exactly what the differences are between the various types of control documents, to check first of all whether you need to ask your supplier to provide a control document and/or which is the best one for your needs.
Preamble
Non-specific checks are carried out by the supplier in line with their own procedures, to check that the products defined in the product specifications, and produced with the same manufacturing process, conform to the order specifications or not. The checks won’t necessarily be carried out on the material that is actually supplied.
Specific checks are carried out by the supplier before delivery, in accordance with the product specifications. They are carried out on the products to be supplied, or the test unit of which the products form part, to verify that the products conform to the order specifications. The order refers to the customer’s order placed with the supplier, which is received by the supplier with the definition of the product to be supplied and its specifications when the order confirmation is sent.
Product specifications are all the detailed, complete technical requirements for the order, set out in writing and in regulations, standards and other relevant specifications.
2.1 Declaration of conformity
This is the certificate confirming that the product conforms to the order, without indicating the test results.
The issue of a 2.1 certificate is based on non-specific checks.
If the supplier is a company certified to UNI EN ISO 9001:2015, the procedures used to check the conformity of the material to the order confirmation are described in the quality manual.
Contents of the 2.1 certificate:
- Manufacturer’s details.
- Progressive numbering.
- Date of issue.
- Reference to customer’s order.
- Description of the product (regulatory references for the product, material, dimensions and product characteristics).
- Quantitative data and reference to waybill
- Declaration of conformity.
- Signature of manager (name and position within the company)
2.2 control certificate
The 2.2 certificate is a document in which the manufacturer certifies that the supplied products conform to what was agreed in the order, and in which they provide test results based on non-specific checks.
Contents of the 2.2 certificate:
- Manufacturer’s details.
- Progressive numbering.
- Date of issue.
- Reference to customer’s order.
- Description of the product (regulatory references for the product, material, dimensions and product characteristics).
- Quantitative data and reference to waybill
- Results of tests and non-specific checks carried out as a routine throughout the production process, for materials defined in the product specification. The product standard usually indicates the details that need to be included.
- Signature.
For steel used in structural applications according to EN10025, it is worth remembering that the CE label only includes a 2.2 certificate for all S235, S275, S355 qualities, for the grades JR e J0 and not the 3.1.
3.1 test certificate
The 3.1 certificate is a document in which the manufacturer certifies that the products supplied conform to what was agreed in the order, and in which they provide test results based on-specific checks. It must be possible for the manufacturer to transfer to the 3.1 certificate the relevant test results from the specific checks on the primary product or incoming product, on condition that the manufacturer uses traceability procedures and can provide the corresponding control documents.
Contents of the 3.1 certificate:
- Manufacturer’s details.
- Progressive numbering.
- Date of issue.
- Reference to customer’s order.
- Description of the product (regulatory references for the product, material, dimensions and product characteristics).
- Quantitative data and reference to waybill
- Additional requirements agreed when placing the order.
- Results of tests and checks carried out on the product or on the control unit, as required by laws or regulations. The regulation for the order usually indicates the tests and checks that are to be certified.
- Declaration of conformity to the order.
- Signature.
Considerations
The 3.1 certificate requires specific testing, and limits the materials supplied. It is recommended only where the measured mechanical characteristics may, for example, be useful for the calibration or set-up of the machines used for subsequent processes, or when the product specification requires it, as is the case with steel conforming to the EN10025 standard for structural applications, only for the SnnnJ2 quality, with guaranteed resilience at -20°C.
Remember that for the EN10025 structural qualities, S235, S275, S355 in the grades JR and J0, 2.2 certification to support the CE label is sufficient.
The supply of a 3.1 certificate entails an extra cost which is considered in the sale price.
To avoid unnecessary additional costs, in cases where there are no requirements imposed by the machining process, it is advisable to request only the 2.1 or 2.2 certificate.
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