Where 3.1 sits among the document types
EN 10204:2004 defines four types. Types 2.1 and 2.2 rest on non-specific inspection, so a 2.2 test report may show results from similar production, not your material. Type 3.1 rests on specific inspection of the goods being delivered. Type 3.2 adds validation by the purchaser's authorised representative or an inspector named by official regulations. The standard only defines the types; your purchase order decides which one you get.
Worked example: checking a 3.1 for steel flanges
An order for weld-neck flanges calls for a 3.1 certificate. The certificate arrives on the forge's letterhead and states EN 10204 3.1, the order number, the material grade on the drawing, heat number H-2291, chemistry, tensile and impact results, and normalising as the heat treatment. It is signed by the quality manager.
The checks that matter:
- Issuer: the forge that made and heat treated the flanges, not the mill that supplied the billet or a trader.
- Traceability: sampled flanges are stamped H-2291. If some carry another heat number, those parts are not covered.
- Results: every element and property is inside the limits of the grade, including impact values at the required test temperature.
- Independence: the signatory is from quality, not production.
If the forge sends the steel mill's certificate for the billet instead, the results describe the raw material before forging and heat treatment, not the flanges.
How Clear To Load uses it
On a pre-shipment inspection the inspector checks the certificate's type, issuer, grade and results against your order and matches heat numbers to marks on sampled parts. We do not issue 3.1 or 3.2 certificates; where you want independent results, we seal samples for an ISO/IEC 17025-accredited lab through lab testing coordination. The full standard is explained on our EN 10204 page.