question regarding accreditation (before use)

[321GO]

Hello to you all,

i would like to know more about the (Lloyd's)accreditation/testing in general for my understanding.

For instance some questions i have:

- what parts need to be accredited?(and what parts don't?)

- what exactly is accredited? Is it limited only to pure technical aspects(material/dimensions/stresses etc.) or also to other non-technical aspects(company structure/level of knowledge/certification of involved personel)?

- how thorough are such test on for example a butterflyvalve? For example, does the engineer need to supply certain design calculations and the calculated stress levels? Are 'inputs/loads' for such calculations checked by the accreditors?

- who determines what needs to be accredited in the first place? The customer? Certain design standards? Insurance company's?


I was wondering how this process works out in real life on different types of parts

Thank you all in advance

 

[hsbcn]

If you're looking for Lloyd's grade inspection / certification for valves installed on a vessel?

My focus: Alloy Valves Super Duplex Valves Monel Valves Incoloy Valves [link titanium-valves.com]Titanium Valves[/url] Hastelloy Valves

 

[gerhardl]

LLoyds (or for that case) any other accrediting company is generally testing and accrediting valves to satisfy quality requirements for different valves (and part of valves) for certain markets, uses and applications.

It would be easier to turn the question around: if you know the market, application and competitors, it would be easier to see what accreditations and tests that is necessary to be able to compete in this special market.

And yes: it is always end users that decides the necessary qualifications, but this might again stem for instance from general international or national requirements for shipping within certain given waters, offshore requirements for oil and gas, certain applications (exampel power plants) etc. etc.

 

[321GO]

I see, that makes sense.

I see companies that sell Indian/Chinese valves, where the testing is said to be done company internal.

The purchahing party must simple 'believe' this testing is done and according to standards?

How does this work?

Also, i see a lot of companies buy Indian/Chinese castings and only do assembly.

Again, how does this work with regard to accreditation?

We all know how fluctuating such castings can be regarding quality / consistency?

Thank you again!

 

[gerhardl]

Re castings: some european valve producers, and some international (all well established for a long time on the market) buy 'cheapest possible castings' and with varying results and experiences.

Some have selected to buy only european castings for high class valves from top quality producers. For other suppliers they commonly have extra quality checks at reception for castings or do checks directly at producers in adddition to QA- auditions to prove that quality systems are approved, updated and practised properly.

A well-known problem has been varying quality and high percentages of unacceptable products, related to all newcomers in the international market.

Both for castings and quality in general please remember that this has been and is under constant upgrading as a 'learning and competing' process worldwide.

How to buy cheapest and best at acceptable quality is an art in itself, facit varying over time.

Only a purchasing company with good routines and good quality assurance procedures will be able to do this well.