Pressure Equipment Directive 2014/68/EU: bolts as pressure-bearing parts

The Pressure Equipment Directive 2014/68/EU (PED, German abbreviation DGRL) governs the placing on the market of pressure equipment above 0.5 bar gauge in the European Union: vessels, piping, valves, heat exchangers and their pressure-bearing parts. Bolts and nuts that hold flanges, covers or housing parts together are pressure-bearing parts. They are subject to the material requirements of Annex I, and the pressure equipment manufacturer must demonstrate the suitability of the material and the origin of the certificates.

What the directive requires of the bolt manufacturer

Pressure-bearing parts must be made of materials that are suitable for the application: harmonised standards, a European approval for materials or an individual assessment, known as a particular material appraisal. For parts in categories II to IV, certificates must come from a material manufacturer with an assessed quality assurance system for an inspection certificate 3.1 to be sufficient; otherwise a 3.2 third-party inspection is possible. EN 764-5 describes this assessment. RS Randack is assessed to EN 764-5 and AD 2000 W0 and can therefore issue certificates to EN 10204, 3.1 or 3.2, that a pressure equipment manufacturer may accept under the directive. The certificates are available in the Downloads section.

And for Great Britain

Since the UK left the EU, the Pressure Equipment (Safety) Regulations have applied there; they largely correspond to the directive. RS Randack’s assessment expressly covers these requirements as well.

What you should specify

Category and code of the pressure equipment, design temperature and pressure, material with material data sheet or standard, certificate type and, where applicable, inspection body. For pressure equipment outside Europe, please state the applicable code, for example ASME with grades to ASTM A193 and A194.