Certifications and Documentations for evaluation of valves 1

[Aloumina]

Hi guys

Many times I am asked to Buy a valve so I have to evaluate the bidders. What documentation shall I ask from them?

I usually ask CE0036, ISO9001, EN10204 3.1 for the raw materials, valve curves, calculations for operation point, certificate for tests and inspections, period of warranty

What else shall I ask? The company I work at is an Aluminium Refinery Plant in Greece so they don't really care about ASME and API Codes. They use european standards

THank you guys

 

[arash807]

Aloumina

following documents should be asked:
1-data sheet
2-drawing
3-spare part list
4-test certificates(NDT& Hydro test)
one thing you should be careful about is that,all code and standards should be according to your plant SPEC.(as you mentioned your plant follow European standards).
so be careful about design,dimension and tests standards.

regards
Arash

 

[Aloumina]

Thank you. I just wrote down drawing and spare part list. Forgot about them...

 

[GHartmann]

I would think you would have valves comply with the appropriate DIN standard and CE labeling.

 

[gerhardl]

... and don't forget that the the quality aspect also includes:

a) references to similar earlier deliveries, including preference persons/users you may contact directly.
b) description af application and recommandation for alternative solutions as for instance: alernative material, constructions, types etc.
c) expected lifetime and necessary service intervals, also with cross references to b.
d)expirience with longtime installations with references (see also a) b) and c))
e)available worksop and service facilities, 24/7 contacts and assistance?
f) normal deliverytime for all actual types, pressure classes and diameters depending on number (small and large), ability to stock ex. nuber of each for emnergency supply (if relevant).
g) topwork construction and necessary parts and complexity in reverting from hand operation/ gear to motorized versions and vice versa. Necessary to take valve out of line?
h) if the company has good experience with existing (presumed high-quality constructon) valves, be sure to compare exact details agains exat details, asking the companies to explain pro (and against) all constructional and operational details for new and old valves.

If 'open bidding and evaluation' is included: be sure to mention and include evaluation of above, also including price/lifetime expectancy, in the total evaluation of bids. If not, you can risk to exclude the best long-time investments on too high buying price alone, and be stuck with a type neither you or the company actually wants.

 

[micalbrch]

A lot of documentation and certificates! Keep in mind that you usually pay for all that and that some reputable vendors might even refuse to offer that because the work related with all these documents is in no relation to the money they get for it. Material certificates and hydrostatic test certificates might be useless for a 1" ball valve for cold water supply at low pressure. What I want to say is that you must consider whether all that is really needed for any valve that you must buy. And finally: What does a material certificate show what is not shown on other vendor documents like order acknowledgement? I do not want to start a discussion about sense of material certificates but if I order a valve made of - for example - 1.4571 and that is what my supplier confirms in writing on his order acknowledgement, I'll be safe in case of later warranty claims. A material certificate only confirms that a second time. For critical services I would require much more documentation because additional safety can save a lot of costs. But in general? No.

 

[gerhardl]

OK micalbrch, you got me down to earth again, reminding me that the simplest might sometimes be the best! There are small volumes and large volumes,.... and you have to choose what to do!