An EAC certificate is not automatically required for every industrial valve. The correct conformity route depends on the valve’s technical characteristics and intended application. Start by identifying the pressure, medium, temperature, nominal size, design and actuator. Then distinguish whether the product falls within pressure equipment requirements, has a machinery application, or is intended for Ex use. The variant matrix and test evidence must match the final product scope.
What must be decided before choosing an EAC route?
The first decision is not whether to order a certificate. It is which product and application are being assessed. Industrial valves can differ in ways that affect the conformity analysis. A change in pressure, medium, temperature, nominal size, design or actuator may change the product variant that needs to be considered.
The assessment should therefore begin with a defined product scope. This scope should describe the valves that will be supplied, not just the general product family name. It should also show which variants share the same relevant characteristics and which variants need separate consideration.
- Pressure identifies the operating pressure information for the valve.
- Medium identifies the substance or process medium for which the valve is intended.
- Temperature identifies the relevant operating temperature range or values supplied for the product.
- Nominal size identifies the size range covered by the proposed scope.
- Design identifies the valve construction and the design variants that may affect the assessment.
- Actuator identifies whether the valve is supplied with an actuator and which actuator arrangement belongs to the product variant.
These inputs provide the decision path. They help determine whether pressure equipment requirements are relevant, whether a machinery application must be considered, and whether Ex use is relevant. They also provide the basis for matching the evidence to the product scope.
Does every valve need a pressure equipment certificate?
No assumption should be made that every valve needs a pressure equipment certificate. The need for this route must be considered against the valve’s actual characteristics and intended use. Pressure, medium, temperature and nominal size are key inputs. Design and actuator information may also be needed to define the product correctly.
A valve should not be treated as a single generic item simply because it belongs to a familiar industrial product group. The same supplier may offer several designs, size ranges or actuator configurations. Those variants may not have the same conformity position. The assessment must match the product scope that will be placed on the EAEU market.
Where pressure equipment requirements are relevant, the technical information and test evidence should correspond to the relevant valve variants. Where the available information does not establish that route, the product should not be described as requiring a pressure equipment certificate merely because it is a valve.
When should machinery application be considered?
Machinery application should be considered where the valve product is supplied or used as part of a machinery application. The actuator is an important input because it helps define how the valve operates and how the complete product is presented. The actuator details should be recorded rather than left as an assumption.
The assessment should separate the valve itself from the way it is supplied and used. A manually operated valve and a valve supplied with an actuator may need different product descriptions in the variant matrix. The relevant application should be clear before selecting conformity evidence.
This does not mean that every actuated valve automatically follows one route. The machinery application is one of the decisions to be checked alongside pressure equipment requirements and Ex use. The result depends on the actual product scope and intended application.
When is Ex use relevant?
Ex use is relevant where the valve is intended for use in an environment or application identified as Ex. This point must be confirmed from the product’s intended use and technical description. It should not be inferred from the word “industrial” alone.
If Ex use is relevant, it must be reflected in the product scope and in the evidence selected for assessment. The valve, its actuator where supplied, and the stated application should be described consistently. A scope that excludes Ex use should not be supported by evidence intended only for an Ex application, and an Ex application should not be omitted from the scope.
The Ex question is therefore part of the initial decision path. It is considered with pressure, medium, temperature, nominal size, design and actuator information. The result should be visible in the final scope and variant matrix.
What information should a supplier prepare?
A supplier should prepare enough technical information to identify the product and its variants. The information should be organised so that each valve configuration can be connected to the relevant scope and evidence.
- A description of the valve design.
- The pressure information for each relevant variant.
- The medium for which each variant is intended.
- The operating temperature information.
- The nominal size or size range.
- Details of the actuator, where an actuator is supplied or part of the intended configuration.
- The intended application, including whether machinery application is relevant.
- The intended use, including whether Ex use is relevant.
- The available test evidence for the stated product variants.
The documents should use consistent product descriptions. If one document uses a broad product name while another identifies a narrower design or size range, the relationship between them should be clear. This prevents the assessment from covering a product scope that does not match the actual supply.
The supplier should also identify the boundaries of the proposed scope. State which designs, pressure conditions, media, temperatures, nominal sizes and actuator arrangements are included. If a variant is not included, keep it outside the scope rather than assuming that a general description covers it.
How is the valve variant matrix used?
The variant matrix maps the product family against the characteristics that matter for conformity assessment. It is a practical way to show which valve variants are covered and how their evidence relates to the scope.
A useful matrix can list the design, pressure, medium, temperature, nominal size and actuator for each variant. It can also show the intended application and whether Ex use is relevant. The matrix should identify the evidence associated with the relevant variants.
| Product input | Question for the scope | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Pressure | What pressure information applies to the variant? | It supports the assessment of pressure equipment requirements. |
| Medium | For which medium is the valve intended? | It forms part of the technical product description. |
| Temperature | What operating temperature information applies? | It helps distinguish the covered operating conditions. |
| Nominal size | Which sizes are included? | It prevents an unbounded size range from being assumed. |
| Design | Which construction or design variants are covered? | It connects the evidence to the actual valve design. |
| Actuator | Is an actuator supplied, and which arrangement applies? | It supports the machinery and product configuration assessment. |
The matrix should be updated when the product scope changes. Adding a new design, size, actuator or intended application without reviewing the matrix can leave the evidence misaligned with the product being supplied.
What does the test evidence need to show?
Test evidence should match the product scope. It should be possible to see which valve design and variant the evidence relates to. Evidence for one configuration should not automatically be treated as evidence for every configuration unless the scope clearly supports that conclusion.
The relevant product inputs should be traceable through the technical description, variant matrix and test evidence. This includes pressure, medium, temperature, nominal size, design and actuator where applicable. The intended application should also be consistent with the evidence.
If the evidence covers only part of the proposed range, the scope should reflect that limitation. A supplier can then decide whether to narrow the product scope or identify additional evidence for other variants. The decision should be made before the conformity route is finalised.
What is the practical workflow?
- Define the product. Record the pressure, medium, temperature, nominal size, design and actuator for the valves to be supplied.
- Define the application. Check whether pressure equipment requirements, machinery application or Ex use are relevant.
- Group the variants. Separate variants where their characteristics or intended applications differ.
- Prepare the matrix. Map each variant to its product inputs and proposed scope.
- Review the evidence. Check that the available test evidence corresponds to the listed variants.
- Resolve gaps. Narrow the scope or obtain suitable evidence where the current material does not cover a variant.
- Select the conformity route. Make the decision from the defined scope rather than from the product name alone.
This workflow keeps the technical decision separate from the commercial quotation. It also provides a record of why a particular route was selected or why a pressure equipment certificate was not assumed.
Who should provide which information?
The supplier provides the product and application information. This includes the valve design, pressure, medium, temperature, nominal size, actuator and intended use. The supplier should also provide the available test evidence and identify the variants intended for supply.
The conformity assessment work uses that information to define the product scope, distinguish the relevant routes and organise the variant matrix. The work should not replace missing product facts with assumptions. If a characteristic is unknown, the scope cannot be treated as fully defined until that point is clarified.
The supplier remains responsible for confirming that the final scope describes the products that will actually be supplied. The technical assessment should then use the confirmed scope and matching evidence.
What can a conformity service deliver?
A practical service for industrial valves can focus on the decisions and documents needed for a controlled conformity assessment. The work can include a review of the valve inputs, an application check, preparation or review of the variant matrix, and a comparison between the proposed scope and available test evidence.
The service output should make the route decision understandable. It should identify whether pressure equipment requirements are relevant, whether machinery application or Ex use must be considered, and which product variants are included. It should also show where the evidence does not yet match the proposed scope.
The result is not a generic statement that every valve requires an EAC certificate. It is a product-specific conformity position based on the information supplied for the valve family and its variants.
What affects a quotation for the work?
A quotation depends on the size and complexity of the product scope. The main factors are the number of valve designs, the number of pressure and temperature conditions, the medium, the nominal size range, actuator configurations and intended applications.
The available technical material also affects the work. A clear set of documents and test evidence may allow a more direct review. A broad product description with unclear variants requires more scope definition before the route can be selected.
- The number of valve variants to be assessed.
- The range of pressure, medium and temperature information.
- The nominal size range.
- The number of designs and actuator configurations.
- Whether machinery application is relevant.
- Whether Ex use is relevant.
- The completeness and variant coverage of the available test evidence.
- The need to prepare or revise the variant matrix.
For a useful quotation, provide the product inputs and the intended scope at the start. A quotation based only on the phrase “industrial valves” cannot show how many variants or applications must be assessed.
Which decision should a supplier make first?
First decide whether the product scope is sufficiently defined. If the supplier cannot state the pressure, medium, temperature, nominal size, design and actuator for the relevant variants, the conformity route is not ready for selection.
Next decide whether the application involves pressure equipment requirements, machinery application or Ex use. These questions should be answered for the actual configuration and intended use. Only then should the supplier compare the product scope with the available test evidence.
A supplier that wants to limit unnecessary work should define the scope accurately rather than include every possible valve variant. A supplier that needs to cover a broad range should make the range visible in the matrix and ensure that the evidence corresponds to it.
Example of a route decision
Suppose a supplier has two valve designs. One is supplied without an actuator and the other is supplied with an actuator. The designs have different nominal size ranges and are intended for different applications. The supplier also has separate pressure and temperature information for the two designs.
The supplier should not request one generic EAC certificate for “industrial valves” without further review. The correct first step is to list the two designs separately, record their pressure, medium, temperature, nominal size and actuator information, and state the intended application for each. The supplier should then check whether pressure equipment requirements, machinery application or Ex use are relevant to each configuration.
If the test evidence covers only the first design, the scope should not silently include the second design. The supplier must either limit the proposed scope to the supported variant or identify matching evidence for the second variant. This example shows why the product inputs and the evidence must be aligned before choosing the conformity route.
What should the supplier check before approval?
Before approving the proposed route, check that the product description matches the valves that will be supplied. Confirm the pressure, medium, temperature, nominal size, design and actuator for each relevant variant. Confirm the intended application and whether Ex use is included or excluded.
Then check the variant matrix against the test evidence. Each included variant should have a clear relationship with the relevant evidence. Any limitation should be visible in the proposed scope.
Finally, confirm that the decision does not rely on the assumption that every valve needs a pressure equipment certificate. The route should follow the defined product and application.
Frequently asked questions
Do all industrial valves need an EAC certificate?
No. The need for an EAC certificate and the applicable conformity route depend on the valve’s pressure, medium, temperature, nominal size, design, actuator and intended application. A pressure equipment certificate must not be assumed for every valve.
What information should I send for an initial assessment?
Send the pressure, medium, temperature, nominal size, design and actuator information for the relevant valve variants. Also state the intended application, whether machinery application is relevant, whether Ex use is relevant, and which test evidence is available.
Can one certificate cover several valve variants?
That depends on the defined product scope and the evidence. Several variants may be considered together only when the scope identifies them clearly and the test evidence matches the included designs, sizes, conditions and configurations.
What if the test evidence covers only some of the valves?
Limit the proposed scope to the supported variants or identify evidence that matches the remaining variants. Do not use evidence for one valve configuration as automatic support for every other configuration.
For industrial valves, the reliable starting point is a defined product scope, a matching variant matrix and evidence that supports the variants included.
one valve body sold with two actuators
Record the valve’s nominal diameter, design pressure, temperature and medium. Then identify each actuator and any change it makes to the assembled product or its intended environment. Review the pressure scope and the actuator evidence separately.
Compare the certificate and declaration routes and check what evidence applies to your product.