EN 1090 EXC3. Verified, not assumed.
Execution Class 3 is the bar for fatigue-loaded and high-consequence steelwork in the DACH market — crane runways, antenna masts, bridges. This page is the buyer’s working reference: what EXC3 requires, when it applies, and how to verify any supplier’s certificate before award.
TL;DR
- ▸EXC3 applies to CC3 structures and to CC2 structures under fatigue or seismic loading (EN 1993-1-1 Annex C) — typically crane runways, antenna masts and bridges; CC2 under static loads is EXC2.
- ▸Versus EXC2 it means more supplementary NDT (e.g. 20% instead of 10% of transverse butt welds), full traceability, welding procedures qualified by test, ISO 3834-2 and weld quality level B.
- ▸A certificate alone proves little: verify issuer (notified body), validity, and that the scope covers your execution class, products and welding processes.
- ▸Steel-Hub requests current EXC3, welding and material evidence from the involved partner facilities per project, and every delivery ships CE-marked per EN 1090-1 with 3.1 certificates.
The execution-class ladder in 60 seconds
| Class | Typical use | Who requires it |
|---|---|---|
| EXC4 | Nuclear containment, bridges over dense or hazardous sites | Specified case by case |
| EXC3 | Crane runways, antenna masts, stadium roofs, bridges | CC3, or CC2 under fatigue/seismic loading |
| EXC2 | Standard commercial buildings | Designer specifies; no default since the 2018 edition |
| EXC1 | Agricultural, fences, low-consequence | Rarely contractual |
Rule of thumb for DACH procurement: the structural engineer assigns the class per EN 1993-1-1 Annex C — EXC2 for CC2 under static loads, EXC3 for CC3 and for CC2 under fatigue or seismic loading. Cutting the class below what the design requires is the most expensive saving available.
The 8-point supplier verification checklist
Any fabricator can write "EN 1090" on a homepage. Before award, verify the paper. This is the checklist we apply — and the one you should apply to us and to anyone else:
FPC certificate from a notified body
Factory Production Control certified by a real notified body — check the body’s four-digit number and the certificate’s validity date.
Scope covers YOUR execution class
“EN 1090” alone is not enough: the certificate states a maximum execution class and product family. EXC3 work needs EXC3 scope.
ISO 3834-2 welding quality system
EXC3 requires the comprehensive level of welding quality management — not the standard or elementary level.
WPQR/WPS coverage for your joints
Qualified welding procedures must actually cover the materials, thicknesses and joint types of your project.
Named responsible welding coordinator
An IWE/IWT-level coordinator with authority over the shop floor, named in the quality documentation.
Qualified NDT personnel, EN 1090-2 extent
Testing personnel per ISO 9712; for EXC3 expect the EN 1090-2 Table 24 extent, e.g. 20% of transverse butt welds, plus 100% visual inspection (UT, MT/PT — RT where specified).
EN 10204 3.1 certificates, piece-level traceability
Every load-bearing element traceable to its mill certificate — batch-level traceability is an EXC2 answer.
Declaration of Performance + CE at delivery
The structure ships with a DoP and CE marking per EN 1090-1 — extended, as-built documentation for EXC3.
How Steel-Hub documents EXC3 compliance
- 01For each project we request current EN 1090-2 EXC3, welding and material evidence from the involved partner facilities — certificate scope, issuer and validity included.
- 02We prepare the project-specific quality and traceability package DACH supervision expects: execution specification, weld and inspection evidence, material certificates.
- 03Every delivered structure ships with full traceability documentation, EN 10204 3.1 material certificates and CE marking per EN 1090-1.
- 04Critical welds are covered by NDT (UT, PT, MT — RT for the most critical) with third-party factory production control evidence available on request, before award.
EXC3 procurement FAQ
What does EN 1090 EXC3 actually require?
▼
Versus EXC2: supplementary NDT on transverse butt welds rises from 10% to 20% (visual inspection stays 100%), traceability becomes complete, welding procedures must be qualified by test (WPQR), ISO 3834-2 comprehensive requirements and weld quality level B apply, and notified-body surveillance tightens to years 1, 2 and 4, then every three. It is a documentation and inspection regime, not just a stamp.
Who must specify EXC3?
▼
The structural engineer specifies it per EN 1993-1-1 Annex C: CC3 structures, and CC2 structures under fatigue or seismic loading — in DACH practice typically crane runways, antenna masts and bridges. A CC2 hall under static loads is EXC2 unless the project specification asks for more; the building authority checks the evidence.
How do I verify a supplier’s EN 1090 certificate?
▼
Check four things: the issuer is a real notified body (verifiable four-digit number), the certificate is currently valid, the scope explicitly covers the execution class and product family of your job, and the welding system behind it is ISO 3834-2. Then ask for WPQR coverage, the named welding coordinator and 3.1 traceability practice. A supplier who hesitates on any of these has answered your question.
Does Steel-Hub hold EXC3 certification itself?
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Steel-Hub delivers through EN 1090-certified partner facilities and requests current EXC3, welding and material evidence for each project rather than pointing at a generic logo. Every delivery ships CE-marked per EN 1090-1 with EN 10204 3.1 certificates, and third-party factory production control evidence is available on request before award — the same verification standard this page recommends.
Related procurement guides
Put the checklist to work
Send us your execution specification — we respond with the compliance evidence next to the price, so both can be verified before award.
Request an EXC3-documented quoteA question is not a commitment. Ask us anything.
Not ready for a full RFQ? Send a plain question instead — specification, execution class, lead time, a second opinion on a quote you already have. Our team will review your enquiry.