Pressure Equipment Directive (PED)
EU Directive 2014/68/EU that governs the design, manufacture, and conformity assessment of pressure equipment for use in the EU.
The Pressure Equipment Directive (PED) applies to pressure vessels, piping, safety accessories, and pressure accessories operating above 0.5 bar. Equipment is classified into hazard categories based on fluid type, pressure, and volume — determining the conformity assessment procedure and notified-body involvement.
Hazard Categories
PED uses four categories (I, II, III, IV) plus "Sound Engineering Practice" (SEP) for the lowest-risk equipment. Higher categories require involvement of a notified body for design examination, production quality assurance, or product verification.
How Certificate Management Software Helps
PED-regulated equipment is supported by a substantial documentation pack: design calculations, weld procedure specifications (WPS), welder qualifications, material test certificates for pressure-bearing parts, non-destructive testing reports, and the EU type-examination certificate where applicable. Linking these to the specific vessel (and its revision history) is the difference between a smooth audit and a chaotic one.
Who needs this?
Manufacturers and operators of pressure equipment in energy, chemical, food, and process industries.