What does EN 1090 cover in day-to-day fabrication work?

In practice, EN 1090 sets rules for how you control materials, welding, cutting, assembly, inspection and documentation so that the finished structure has the required mechanical resistance, stability and durability. It influences how you qualify welders and procedures, how you store and issue materials, how you record inspections and how you prove that every delivered assembly meets the specified Execution Class.

What is the difference between EN 1090-1, EN 1090-2 and EN 1090-3?

EN 1090-1 defines the conformity assessment system and CE marking requirements for structural components, including Factory Production Control (FPC) and how a Notified Body certifies you. EN 1090-2 gives the technical requirements for steel structures, such as tolerances, weld quality levels, surface treatment and inspection. EN 1090-3 provides the corresponding technical requirements for aluminium structures. Together, they cover both the legal and technical sides of compliant fabrication.

What are EN 1090 Execution Classes (EXC) and which one do we need?

Execution Classes (EXC1–EXC4) define how demanding a structure is in terms of safety, use and consequence of failure. Most small and mid-sized fabricators serving industrial halls, mezzanines, stairs and platforms work in EXC2. Higher classes like EXC3 and EXC4 apply to bridges, stadiums or very critical structures. As a best practice, define which Execution Classes you work in, document this in your FPC system and build your procedures, training and documentation to match. EZIIL lets you tag projects and assemblies by EXC and keep the related documentation together.

What documentation do we need to keep for EN 1090 compliance?

Typical EN 1090 documentation includes material certificates, welding procedure qualifications (WPQR/WPS), welder qualifications, inspection and test reports, non-conformance and corrective action records, and final release documents or declarations of performance. A practical approach is to standardise project 'audit packs' so every job has the same minimum documentation before it ships. EZIIL Enterprise helps by linking certificates, material batches, operations and person-task logs into one digital traceability chain per project or assembly, so you can export a complete audit pack in a few clicks.

How does EZIIL help with EN 1090 traceability and CE marking?

EZIIL Enterprise is designed for EN 1090-driven fabricators. It lets you connect drawings, assemblies, material batches, heat numbers and welding operations in one system and log who did what, when and on which project. Time reporting and operation tracking create a digital trail that supports Factory Production Control. When a client or auditor asks for proof, you can quickly export certificates, operation history and inspection results linked to each assembly, instead of searching through paper folders and spreadsheets.

How can small make-to-order shops stay organised for EN 1090 audits?

For 10–100 person make-to-order shops, the main challenge is keeping EN 1090 paperwork consistent as the workload grows. Best practices include defining standard checklists per project, keeping all material and welding documents in one place and making sure every assembly can be traced back to certificates and welders. EZIIL supports this by centralising project data, linking documents and logs to assemblies and giving you a clear overview of which projects are fully documented and which still have gaps before an audit or handover.

What is Factory Production Control (FPC) in EN 1090?

Factory Production Control (FPC) is the documented system that ensures every component you produce meets the EN 1090 requirements. It covers how you control incoming materials, equipment, welding, inspections, personnel qualifications and records. For small and mid-sized fabricators, FPC should be practical and embedded into daily work, not a separate binder on a shelf. By using EZIIL as the backbone for work orders, time logging and documentation, much of your FPC evidence is generated automatically as people work.

What are some best practices for EN 1090 compliance in everyday production?

Good EN 1090 practice includes clearly defining your Execution Classes, standardising weld symbols and procedures, keeping material certificates and welding records attached to each project, logging inspections in a consistent way and not shipping jobs until a complete documentation pack is ready. Many EZIIL users create project templates that include required EN 1090 documents and use the system to check that all steps and records are complete before marking a project as finished.

What happens if we fabricate EN 1090-relevant structures without being compliant?

Fabricating and placing structural components on the EU market without EN 1090 compliance and CE marking can lead to rejected deliveries, contractual penalties, loss of key customers and, in serious cases, enforcement by market surveillance authorities. Even when problems do not escalate legally, the lack of traceability can make it difficult to defend your work if something fails. Using a system like EZIIL to build a clean traceability chain and FPC evidence reduces these risks and makes it easier to win and keep work with larger contractors.

How can we move from spreadsheets to software for EN 1090 documentation?

Many small fabrication shops start EN 1090 with Excel files, shared folders and paper forms. This works at low volume but becomes error-prone as you take on more projects and Execution Class requirements. Moving to specialised software like EZIIL lets you replace scattered spreadsheets with one connected system: projects, assemblies, operations, materials, people and documents all live in one place. That keeps EN 1090 documentation under control while your shop grows, instead of adding more manual admin.

EN 1090

Q: What is EN 1090 in steel and aluminium fabrication?

EN 1090 is a series of European standards that define how steel and aluminium load-bearing structures must be fabricated and assembled. It sits under the EU Construction Products Regulation and is the basis for CE marking structural components placed on the EU market. The main parts are EN 1090-1 (conformity assessment and CE marking), EN 1090-2 (technical requirements for steel structures) and EN 1090-3 (technical requirements for aluminium structures).

What is EN 1090 in steel fabrication?

EN 1090 is a series of European standards that set the rules for how steel and aluminium structures are fabricated and assembled. It sits under the EU Construction Products Regulation and is the basis for CE marking structural components placed on the EU market.

The three main parts are: EN 1090-1 (conformity assessment and CE marking), EN 1090-2 (technical requirements for steel structures) and EN 1090-3 (technical requirements for aluminium structures).

In practice, EN 1090 defines how you control materials, welding, cutting, assembly, inspection and documentation so that the finished structure has the required mechanical resistance, stability and durability.

Why EN 1090 matters for custom steel fabricators

If you fabricate load-bearing components that become part of a building or civil structure in the EU or EEA, EN 1090 compliance and CE marking are normally mandatory. Without it, many general contractors simply cannot buy from you, especially on EXC2 projects like industrial halls, mezzanines, platforms or stairs.

For small steel fabricators, EN 1090 is often the ticket to bigger, more profitable work: it proves you can trace materials, welds and people, and that your factory production control (FPC) is under control.

Best practices for EN 1090 compliance

Define which Execution Classes (EXC) you work in (often EXC2) and build your procedures, training and documentation to match.
Keep material certificates, welding records, inspection reports and release documents in one place, linked to each project and assembly.
Standardize project “audit packs” so every job has the same minimum documentation before it ships.
Use software like EZIIL to link certificates, material batches, operations and person-task logs into one EN 1090 traceability chain, and export everything in a few clicks when an auditor or client asks.