EN 10204 Metallic Products - Types of Inspection Certificates (Type 3-1 and Type 3-2 Inspection Certificates)

The European standard "EN 10204 Metallic products - Types of inspection documents" describes the different types of inspection documents provided to the buyer for the delivery of all metallic products, e.g. plates, sheets, rods, forgings, castings and similar products, in accordance with the requirements of the order. This standard can also be applied to non-metallic products. This standard is also used in conjunction with product specifications, which specify the technical delivery conditions of the products.

The list of information that can be included in the inspection documents is contained in the appropriate standards. For example, for steel, the standard “EN 10168 Steel products - Inspection documents - Information and explanation list” applies.

A summary of the different types of inspection documents is included in the annex to the EN 10204 standard (Annex A).

For the purposes of this standard, the following terms and definitions apply:

• Indeterminate inspection refers to the inspection carried out by the manufacturer according to its own procedures to assess whether the products defined with the same product specification and produced with the same production process comply with the requirements of the order. The inspected products may not necessarily be the products actually supplied.
• Specific inspection refers to the inspection carried out on the products to be supplied or on the test units of which the supplied products are part, prior to delivery, in accordance with the product specification, to verify that these products comply with the requirements of the order.
• Manufacturer refers to the organization that produces the relevant products according to the requirements of the order and the features specified in the referenced product specification.
• Intermediary means an organization that procures products from manufacturers and then supplies them without further processing or after processing without changing the specifications specified in the purchase order and the referenced product specification.
• Product specifications refer to all detailed technical requirements, such as referenced regulations, standards and other specifications, specified in writing for the order.

Inspection documents based on non-specific inspection include:

• Declaration of conformity to the order “Type 2.1”: Document in which the manufacturer declares that the supplied products comply with the requirements of the order, without including the test results.
• Test report “Type 2.2”: Document in which the manufacturer declares that the supplied products comply with the requirements of the order and provides test results based on non-specific inspection.

Specific inspection-based inspection documents include:

• Inspection certificate “Type 3.1”: Document in which the manufacturer declares that the products supplied comply with the requirements of the order and provides the test results. The test unit and the tests to be performed are defined by the product specification, official regulation and relevant rules or the order. The document is verified by the authorized inspection representative of the manufacturer, independent of the production department. The manufacturer may transfer the relevant test results obtained by specific inspections on primary or incoming products used by the manufacturer to the inspection certificate Type 3.1, provided that the manufacturer operates traceability procedures and can provide the necessary relevant inspection documents.
• Inspection certificate "Type 3.2": A document prepared by the authorized inspection representative of the manufacturer, independent of the manufacturing department, and the authorized inspection representative of the buyer or the inspector designated by official regulations, in which they declare that the supplied products comply with the requirements of the order and provide the test results. The manufacturer may transfer the relevant test results obtained by specific inspections on the primary or incoming products used by the manufacturer to the inspection certificate Type 3.2, provided that the manufacturer operates traceability procedures and can provide the necessary relevant inspection documents.

The inspection certificate is verified by the responsible persons. Storage and transmission of documents must be in electronic data or paper form.

An intermediary may transmit only one original or one copy of the inspection documents provided by the manufacturer without any modifications. These documents must be accompanied by appropriate means of product identification to ensure traceability between the product and the documents. Copying of the original document is permitted provided that:

• If traceability procedures are operated
• If the original document is available upon request

When producing copies, it is permissible to replace the information regarding the original delivered quantity with the actual delivered partial quantity.

Our organization has a strong staff that closely follows the developments in the world in the field of science and technology and constantly improves itself. Among the numerous test, measurement, analysis and evaluation studies provided for businesses in various sectors, there are also test services within the scope of the "EN 10204 Metallic products - Types of inspection documents" standard.