- A material certificate is useful only when it can be traced to the specified valve component and its heat or batch.
- EN 10204 document types 2.1, 2.2, 3.1 and 3.2 provide different levels of inspection evidence and validation.
- A 3.2 inspection certificate normally requires purchaser or designated third-party involvement agreed before manufacture.
- PMI, impact, hardness, corrosion or sour-service testing is supplementary and should not be assumed from a standard MTC alone.
››› Material Evidence
A certificate should trace the specified component—not only name a material grade
A statement such as “body material WCB” does not by itself establish full traceability. The project record should connect the component marking, heat or batch number, material standard and certificate to the actual valve bill of materials or manufacturing record.
The required evidence depends on component criticality and project requirements. Pressure-retaining parts, bellows, nozzles, discs, stems and fasteners may have different documentation and supplementary-test requirements.
Important trust statement
This page explains material-document requirements. It does not claim that a particular EN 10204 type, heat number, test result or third-party endorsement is available for every valve. The applicable controlled file must be matched to the ordered component and purchase specification.
››› EN 10204 Inspection Documents
Choose the document type from the required inspection and validation level
EN 10204 distinguishes documents based on whether inspection is non-specific or specific to the supplied product and who validates the results. State the required document type in the purchase order before manufacture.
2.1
Declaration of Compliance
Confirms that the supplied products comply with the order, without including test results.
2.2
Test Report
Confirms compliance with the order and includes results based on non-specific inspection; the results are not necessarily from the exact supplied batch.
3.1
Inspection Certificate 3.1
Provides specific inspection results and is validated by the manufacturer’s authorized inspection representative independent of manufacturing.
3.2
Inspection Certificate 3.2
Provides specific inspection results with additional validation by the purchaser’s authorized representative or a designated inspector, as agreed for the order.
››› Component Traceability
Build a traceable chain from the valve component to the source certificate
The certificate should be linked through markings, heat numbers, batch numbers, transfer records or manufacturing records. When raw material is cut, forged, cast, machined or transferred between suppliers, the traceability method should remain documented.
For a complete valve dossier, the material record should identify which certificate supports each specified body, bonnet, nozzle, disc, stem, bellows or fastener item.
Traceability review checklist
- Valve tag, serial number or purchase-order item
- Component name and bill-of-material reference
- Material specification and grade
- Heat, melt, cast or batch number
- Manufacturer or material supplier
- Certificate number and revision
- Transfer of marking or traceability record
- Component marking and visual verification
- PMI record where specified
- Link to final manufacturing record book
››› Certificate Test Results
Review the reported properties against the material standard and project specification
A certificate should identify the material standard, grade, product form and acceptance criteria used for the reported results.
01
Chemical Composition
Review reported elements against the material grade and any project-specific limits. Confirm whether values are heat analysis, product analysis or another stated basis.
02
Mechanical Properties
Typical records may include tensile strength, yield strength, elongation and reduction of area, depending on product standard and material form.
03
Heat Treatment
Confirm heat-treatment condition, cycle or delivery state where required by the material standard or project specification.
04
Product Form and Dimensions
Identify whether source material is a casting, forging, bar, plate, tube, sheet or fastener product and link it to the component.
05
Impact or Low-Temperature Results
Where MDMT applies, verify test temperature, specimen orientation, absorbed energy and acceptance basis.
06
Hardness and Special Limits
Hardness, ferrite, grain size, intergranular corrosion or other results should appear only when required.
››› Supplementary Testing
An EN 10204 certificate does not automatically include every special-service test
Low-temperature, sour, hydrogen, oxygen, corrosive and high-alloy services may require additional verification beyond the standard material certificate. These tests and acceptance criteria should be defined before procurement.
Possible supplementary requirements
- Positive material identification (PMI)
- Charpy impact testing at the specified temperature
- Hardness testing
- Heat-treatment records
- Intergranular corrosion testing
- Ferrite measurement
- NACE or ISO sour-service requirements
- UT, RT, MT or PT examination
- Cleanliness or contamination-control records
- Country-of-origin or approved-source requirements
››› Document Review Workflow
How to verify a material certificate before project acceptance
Review both the document content and the traceability chain. A chemically acceptable certificate is not sufficient if it cannot be linked to the supplied component.
01
Define the required document type
State EN 10204 2.1, 2.2, 3.1 or 3.2 and supplementary tests in the purchase order.
02
Identify the specified component
Match body, bonnet, nozzle, trim, bellows or fastener requirements to the bill of materials.
03
Check certificate identity
Verify certificate number, issuer, supplier, material grade, product form, date and revision.
04
Review reported test results
Compare chemistry, mechanical properties, heat treatment and supplementary results with acceptance criteria.
05
Confirm heat or batch traceability
Match the certificate to component markings, transfer records and manufacturing documentation.
06
Verify inspection validation
Confirm required 3.1 or 3.2 validation and any purchaser or third-party involvement.
07
Resolve deviations
Clarify missing values, mixed heats, incorrect product form, superseded documents or project exceptions.
08
Record final approval
Include the accepted certificate and traceability index in the manufacturing record book.
››› Common Review Errors
Material-certificate mistakes that can cause inspection rejection
These problems should be resolved before shipment rather than during final handover.
01
Material grade but no heat number
The document cannot be reliably connected to the supplied component.
02
3.1 requested after production
The required inspection basis and independent validation may not be recoverable after manufacture.
03
3.2 requested after shipment
Purchaser or designated-inspector involvement normally must be planned before testing.
04
Wrong product form
A plate or bar certificate should not be used for a casting or forging without an approved basis.
05
Transferred heats not documented
Cutting and machining records must preserve traceability when markings are transferred.
06
PMI assumed from an MTC
Positive material identification is separate verification unless specifically recorded.
07
Low-temperature acceptance not checked
A standard grade certificate may not satisfy impact-test or MDMT requirements.
08
Unreadable or altered file
The certificate should be complete, legible, revision-controlled and protected from unauthorized editing.
››› Request Material Documents
Specify the material-document package before quotation or order release
Send the valve bill of materials, project specification and required EN 10204 type. For special service, also identify PMI, impact, hardness, NDE, corrosion or third-party inspection requirements.
Recommended request information
- Project, client and end-user requirements
- Valve model, size, pressure class and quantity
- Component list and required material grades
- Required EN 10204 document type
- Low-temperature or MDMT requirement
- Corrosive, sour, hydrogen or oxygen service
- PMI, impact, hardness or NDE requirements
- Third-party inspection or purchaser witness
- Required language and submission format
- Manufacturing record book requirements
››› Related Documentation
Continue the safety valve document and material review
These links connect material traceability with certificate control, type testing, pressure ratings and flange selection.
01
Safety Valve Certificates
Review the complete document structure for company, product, material, type-test and routine records.
02
Type Test Certificates
Review design-validation evidence, tested range, measured performance and scope limitations.
03
Pressure-Temperature Ratings
Connect material grade and pressure class with allowable pressure at actual service temperature.
04
ASME B16.5 Flange Dimensions
Verify flange material, class, facing and pressure-temperature compatibility.
05
Catalogs & PDF Downloads
Access current product literature, datasheets and technical documents.
06
Ask an Engineer
Submit a datasheet, material specification or document list for review.
››› FAQ
Common questions about safety valve material certificates
It records material identity and, depending on document type, test results such as chemical composition and mechanical properties. It should be traceable to the specified component and its heat or batch.
Type 2.1 is a declaration of compliance without test results. Type 2.2 includes non-specific inspection results. Type 3.1 includes specific inspection results validated by the manufacturer’s authorized inspection representative independent of manufacturing. Type 3.2 adds validation by the purchaser’s authorized representative or a designated inspector.
Not automatically. The purchase specification should identify which pressure-retaining, trim, bellows, bolting or other components require 3.1 documentation.
It should be specified before manufacture because purchaser or designated-inspector involvement and specific inspection activities normally have to be planned.
Only when those tests are required, performed and recorded. PMI, impact, hardness, corrosion and NDE are supplementary requirements.
Traceability is established through the valve tag or serial number, bill of materials, component identification, heat or batch numbers, transfer records and the final certificate index.
Need to define the material certificate package for a project?
Send the bill of materials, service conditions, EN 10204 document type and supplementary inspection requirements. ZOBAI can identify missing inputs before quotation or order release.