3. MANUFACTURING

The manufacturer shall ensure the competent execution of the provisions set out at the design stage by applying the appropriate techniques and relevant procedures, especially with a view to the aspects set out below. Preparation of the component parts (e.g. forming and chamfering) shall not give rise to defects or cracks or changes in the mechanical characteristics likely to be detrimental to the safety of the pressure equipment. Permanent joints and adjacent zones shall be free of any surface or internal defects detrimental to the safety of the equipment. The properties of permanent joints shall meet the minimum properties specified for the materials to be joined unless other relevant property values are specifically taken into account in the design calculations. For pressure equipment, permanent joining of components which contribute to the pressure resistance of equipment and components which are directly attached to them shall be carried out by suitably qualified personnel according to suitable operating procedures. For pressure equipment in categories II, III and IV, operating procedures and personnel shall be approved by a competent third party which, at the manufacturer’s discretion, may be: a notified body, a third-party organisation recognised by a Member State as provided for in Article 20. To carry out these approvals the third party must perform examinations and tests as set out in the appropriate harmonised standards or equivalent examinations and tests or shall have them performed. For pressure equipment, non-destructive tests of permanent joints shall be carried out by suitable qualified personnel. For pressure equipment in categories III and IV, the personnel shall be approved by a third-party organisation recognised by a Member State pursuant to Article 20. Where there is a risk that the manufacturing process will change the material properties to an extent which would impair the safety of the pressure equipment, suitable heat treatment shall be applied at the appropriate stage of manufacture. Suitable procedures shall be established and maintained for identifying the material making up the components of the equipment which contribute to pressure resistance by suitable means from receipt, through production, up to the final test of the manufactured pressure equipment. Pressure equipment shall be subjected to final assessment as described below. Pressure equipment shall undergo a final inspection to assess visually and by examination of the accompanying documents compliance with the requirements of this Directive. Test carried out during manufacture may be taken into account. As far as is necessary on safety grounds, the final inspection shall be carried out internally and externally on every part of the equipment, where appropriate in the course of manufacture (e.g. where examination during the final inspection is no longer possible). Final assessment of pressure equipment shall include a test for the pressure containment aspect, which will normally take the form of a hydrostatic pressure test at a pressure at least equal, where appropriate, to the value laid down in point 7.4. For category I series-produced pressure equipment, this test may be performed on a statistical basis. Where the hydrostatic pressure test is harmful or impractical, other tests of a recognised value may be carried out. For tests other than the hydrostatic pressure test, additional measures, such as non-destructive tests or other methods of equivalent validity, shall be applied before those tests are carried out. For assemblies, the final assessment shall also include a check of the safety devices intended to check full compliance with the requirements referred to in point 2.10. In addition to the CE marking referred to in Articles 18 and 19 and the information to be provided in accordance with Article 6(6) and Article 8(3), the following information shall be provided: for all pressure equipment: the year of manufacture, identification of the pressure equipment according to its nature, such as type, series or batch identification and serial number, essential maximum/minimum allowable limits. depending on the type of pressure equipment, further information necessary for safe installation, operation or use and, where applicable, maintenance and periodic inspection such as: the volume V of the pressure equipment in L, the nominal size for piping DN, the test pressure PT applied in bar and date, safety device set pressure in bar, output of the pressure equipment in kW, supply voltage in V (volts), intended use, filling ratio kg/L, maximum filling mass in kg, tare mass in kg, the fluid group. where necessary, warnings fixed to the pressure equipment drawing attention to misuse which experience has shown might occur. The information referred to in points (a), (b) and (c) shall be given on the pressure equipment or on a dataplate firmly attached to it, with the following exceptions: where applicable, appropriate documentation may be used to avoid repetitive marking of individual parts such as piping components, intended for the same assembly, where the pressure equipment is too small, e.g. accessories, this information may be given on a label attached to that pressure equipment, labelling or other adequate means may be used for the mass to be filled and the warnings referred to in point (c), provided it remains legible for the appropriate period of time. When pressure equipment is made available on the market, it shall be accompanied, as far as relevant, with instructions for the user, containing all the necessary safety information relating to: mounting including assembling of different pieces of pressure equipment, putting into service, use, maintenance including checks by the user. Instructions shall cover information affixed to the pressure equipment in accordance with point 3.3, with the exception of serial identification, and shall be accompanied, where appropriate, by the technical documents, drawings and diagrams necessary for a full understanding of these instructions. If appropriate, these instructions shall also refer to risks arising from misuse in accordance with point 1.3 and particular features of the design in accordance with point 2.2.3.

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Source: EUR-Lex (Cellar) · retrieved 2026-11-02 · Text as adopted (Official Journal); later amendments are not incorporated in this text.