Old Material certificate for Globe Valve, is it acceptable?

[Mohsen_81]

Hi all,

In a project, we have bout a small 1" globe valve. The material certificates that we received for this valve are very old and backs to 2015. Could it be acceptable?
Generally what is the approach, shall the vendor issue a material certificate for each purchase separately or if they have done it once, it can be used till the production is the same?

Thanks in advance for your reply.

 

[jmec87]

It could be acceptable. Does it violate any of the requirements in your purchase order?

There is no need to create a new material certificate for each purchase.

 

[MintJulep]

If you accept it then it is acceptable.

What will you do with it if you accept it? Put it in a file and never look at it again most likely.

What will you do if you don't accept it? Reject the valve? Buy another valve from another supplier?

What will you do if in the future the valve is discovered to be be non-compliant with your unspecified requirement? Show someone the certificate and say "all better now."?

 

[Mohsen_81]

@jmec87 thank you

 

[Mohsen_81]

@MintJulep Cute reply. From your experience, when we do not accept an old certificate? I mean when should the project requirement request for a new certificate?

 

[MintJulep]

The valve - the physical valve itself - is either good enough for your application, or it is not.

A piece of paper in a file - no matter the age of the paper - will not change that.

We strangers on the internet cannot answer your question because you have not provided any details at all.

If it is important to you, then you need to go to the valve supplier or manufacturer and ask them to explain to you how the piece of paper causes the valve to be acceptable.

 

[bobjustbob]

When we supply castings for valves the chemical and mechanical testing is performed after the heat treatment and before the valve ships. The certification is sent to the valve manufacturer. If you come back to me 5 years later and ask for a new cert, the information on the cert will be the same. The only difference will be the printed on date. If the data on the cert is just as valid today as it was 5 years ago and I would not and probably could not perform any new testing.

Bob

 

[kingnero]

Can you trace the valve to the document?

 

[Mohsen_81]

@kingnero What do you mean. At the moment no.

 

[kingnero]

Do the valves have a batch number (or heat, coulée, Schmelz, ...) or some other means of identification? (Like package lot, ...) ?
Does this identification match the document from 2015?

If yes on both questions, then there is no problem. The certificate should be treated as valid. As Bob (just Bob!) said, what could be added on a certificate that is written today, that wasn't known in 2015?

If the answer to the 1st question is a no, then all bets are off.
If you have a means of identification, but no matching material certificate, than you could ask the manufacturer for a duplicate.

 

[weldstan]

I assume that your valve was purchased from a stockist and not the foundry/va;ve manufacturer. If so ask them to provide traceabiity information. I have seen a number of cases where traceability was nonexistant and the MTR was not worth the paper it was printed on and this was especially true for small valves. On more than one occasion, I have had the supplier furnish new valves and have had inspection at all phases of construction to verify materials and supporting documentation.

 

[MintJulep]

We are talking about a single valve here? One piece?

A single valve that at most costs US$400.

Is it installed, or quarantined because of this certificate question?

Is somebody not working to install it because it is in quarantine?

You've been agonizing about this for 2 weeks now. How many engineering hours are you willing to waste over a $400 valve?

If you deem the totality of the valve + certificate unacceptable then reject it and buy a new one from a better supplier. Make your requirements clear on the new PO.