EN 10204 Inspection Documents
Also known as: EN 10204:2004, Inspection certificate types
EN 10204:2004 defines four types of inspection document for metallic products. Types 2.1 and 2.2 rest on non-specific inspection, covering material that need not be the material delivered. Types 3.1 and 3.2 rest on specific inspection of the delivered product, and differ in who validates the certificate.
EN 10204:2004 defines the types of inspection document issued for metallic products. It standardises the document, not the material — the grade and its properties come from a material specification, while EN 10204 says what kind of certificate accompanies it and who stands behind it.
The 2004 revision reduced the range to four types: 2.1, 2.2, 3.1 and 3.2.
The dividing line: specific and non-specific inspection
The important distinction is not the numbering but what the testing was performed on.
Non-specific inspection need not be carried out on the products actually being delivered. The testing is done on material of the same grade produced by the same process, and the resulting figures are representative rather than particular. Types 2.1 and 2.2 sit here.
Specific inspection is carried out on the products being delivered, or on test units of which they are part. The figures describe your material. Types 3.1 and 3.2 sit here.
That is why the type matters for traceability. A document produced under non-specific inspection cannot support a statement about the heat in your rack, because it was never a measurement of it.
The four types
- 2.1 — Declaration of compliance with the order. The manufacturer states that the products comply with the order. No test results are reported.
- 2.2 — Test report. The manufacturer states compliance and reports test results, based on non-specific inspection.
- 3.1 — Inspection certificate. Test results from specific inspection on the delivered products, validated by the manufacturer's authorised inspection representative, who must be independent of the manufacturing department.
- 3.2 — Inspection certificate. As 3.1, but validated additionally by the purchaser's authorised representative or an inspector designated by official regulations.
A failure worth knowing about
A document can carry a 3.1 heading while mixing specific mechanical results with chemistry taken at batch level. Whatever it is labelled, the weaker basis governs what the document can actually support.
The practical check is not the number in the corner but whether the values relate to the heat you received. That is also why the heat number on the certificate has to match the heat number on the material — a 3.1 for a different heat is a correct document about the wrong steel.
What it does not settle
EN 10204 says nothing about whether the material is suitable for your application, which is a question for the material specification and your own engineering. It also says nothing about how long you must keep the certificate, or under what controls — retention and document control come from your customer contracts and the standards they hold you to.
Common questions
What is the difference between EN 10204 3.1 and 3.2?
Both rest on specific inspection of the material actually being delivered, so the test data describes your product in both cases. The difference is validation: a 3.1 is validated by the manufacturer's authorised inspection representative, who must be independent of the manufacturing department. A 3.2 is validated additionally by the purchaser's representative or an inspector designated by official regulations.
Is a 2.2 test report good enough for traceability?
Usually not, because non-specific inspection does not have to be carried out on the material you received. The figures may come from other material of the same grade, which means the document cannot support a statement about the specific heat you are holding. If your customer needs provenance, they generally need 3.1 or better.
Does EN 10204 apply outside Europe?
The standard is European, but it is referenced in purchase specifications worldwide and material from many regions is supplied against it. It is common to see EN 10204 certificate types requested alongside ASTM material specifications, since the two address different things: one the document, the other the material.
Related terms
- Mill Test Report — The certificate a steel mill issues for a heat, recording its chemical composition and mechanical properties, and what a forging shop is expected to do with it.
- Heat Number — The identifier a steel mill assigns to one batch of metal poured from a single melt, and the unit material properties are guaranteed against.
- Lot Traceability — The ability to follow a defined batch of material forward to the parts made from it and backward from a part to the material it came from.