Traceability in steel construction according to EN 1090

Traceability in EN 1090 for base materials and welding consumables is an essential aspect of quality assurance for steel and aluminum structures. Particularly in design classes EXC3 and EXC4, which apply to highly stressed or safety-relevant structures, complete documentation of the materials used and their origin must be ensured from the supplier to installation in the structure. This traceability makes it possible to specifically detect and eliminate quality defects and safety risks. It ensures that only those materials and additives are used that meet the high requirements of the respective design class.

Traceability must be based on production lot records for common manufacturing processes, unless traceability is required for each individual starting product. This means that the production and supply chain must be traceable for each component and material in the design. In this way, possible sources of error can be identified and, in the event of an emergency, appropriate measures can be taken to ensure the stability and safety of the structure.

For components manufactured in design classes EXC2, EXC3 and EXC4, where starting products of different steel grades are used at the same time, additional marking is required. Each base product must be marked in such a way that the respective steel grade and, if applicable, the batch number can be identified for traceability purposes. This applies to both the base materials and the welding consumables. In this way, confusion of materials is ruled out and the consistent quality of the materials used is ensured.

Overall, the traceability in EN 1090 for base materials and welding consumables helps to meet the high quality requirements for steel and aluminum structures. This is particularly crucial in the more demanding areas of design classes EXC3 and EXC4.