CE marking – why do we even talk about it?
As of 1st July 2013, CE marking became mandatory for all construction products which are covered by a harmonised European standards (hEN) or conform to a European Technical Assessment (ETA). As Peikko’s bolt connections are innovative products not covered by hEN, they are CE marked based on ETA.
What does an ETA based CE marking mean for you?
With a CE marking based on ETA, a manufacturer guarantees that the product meets the specified basic requirements. In Peikko’s case, CE marking means that the product is well manufactured, safe to use, meets performance requirements and includes complete technical user instructions.
What are the basic requirements?
- Mechanical resistance and stability
- Safety in case of fire
- Hygiene, health and the environment
- Safety and accessibility in use
- Protection against noise
- Energy economy and heat retention
- Sustainable use of natural resources
It’s worth noting that a manufacturer can decide which are the assessed characteristics that are essential for product performance. If you are a structural designer for instance, you really need to make sure that the product is assessed according to the requirements that are relevant to your specific project.
In Peikko’s case, we most often choose mechanical resistance and stability for obvious reasons. But of course, in some cases, safety, fire safety and others might be relevant, too. The products are not intended to meet every requirement, only the relevant ones.
What is a DoP?
DoP stands for Declaration of Performance and has all the vital information you need. In other words, it defines which requirements a certain CE marked product meets.
Are all CE markings equal?
No, they are not.
Some products are CE marked according to EN 1090 standard, which defines only the execution quality in production. An ETA based CE marking, however, specifies product performance and behaviour in construction. An ETA based CE marking of HPKM® Column Shoes and HPM® Anchoring Bolts meets all the relevant basic requirements of the Construction Product Regulation (CPR) such as Mechanical resistance and stability, Safety in case of fire, and Safety and accessibility in use. It’s not necessary to fulfill all seven basic requirements to be safe in use.
Compare CE marking based on ETA to EN 1090:
Compare Declaration of Performances based on ETA to EN 1090:
What is the evaluation process for a CE marking like?
First, the product must meet the ETA criteria. A manufacturer can decide on which basic requirements the ETA is based. Because Peikko has many products that are not covered by harmonised European products standards, they are assessed as innovative products and CE marking is suitable only via ETA.
Next, a Technical Assessment Body (TAB) such as VTT in Finland or DIBt in Germany composes a European Assessment Document (EAD), which evaluates whether the product meets the chosen criteria or not.
After getting the EAD, a third party notified body carries out the process of Assessment and Verification of Constancy of Performance so that the product meets the criteria also in real life.
The final phase is the certification of production facilities. When that certificate is granted, the manufacturer has the right to use a CE marking for the assessed product. The whole process takes one to three years.
