My interpretation of EN 1090. What is it all about?
The EN 1090 standard that is being implemented by July 2014 is a European standard that regulates the fabrication and assembly of Steel and Aluminium structures. It is intended to bring a tighter control of welding practices and proceedures for those companies involved in producing any structural welded products.
Welders will have to be coded in a relavent process and proceedure.(see article on welding codes) The company will also have to hold relavent Welding Proceedure Specifications (WPS)
EN 1090 comprises 3 parts hence EN 1090-1, EN 1090-2 & EN 1090-3.
EN 1090-1 relates to: Requirements for Conformity assesment for structural components. ie CE Marking.
EN 1090-2 relates to: Technical requirements relating to the execution of steel structures.
EN 1090-3 relates to: Technical requirements relating to the execution of Aluminium structures.
More detail on EN 1090-2.
Welding:
1.Welds are usually specified on a drawing with symbols in accordance with a relavent standard. Because welding is a specialist activity, it should only be carried out by trained and qualified personel.
All welding must be carried out in accordance with a Weld Proceedure Specification (WPS). This WPS should have been based on a Weld Proceedure Test and carried out in accordance with the relavent standards.
2.Welding must only be carried out by personel qualified for the particular type of work in accordance with the relavent standards. All welds must then be inspected and a number of them should be tested as detailed in the NSSS.(see below) Adhereing to the reference standards should ensure that the welding is completed with no welding defects present.
NSSS. The National Structural Steelwork Specification for building construction. It was developed over many years by the industry to promote best practice when designing and calculating specifications for construction steelwork.
Main topics covered in the NSSS are;
#Information required by the steel work contractor
#Materials
#Information provided by the steel work contractor
#Workmanship
#Welding
#Bolting
#Fabrication accuracy
#Erection
#Erection accuracy
#Protective treatment of steel w