UNI EN 13445, ASME VIII Div. 1, EN 10204, and GB/T 150: cross-spec equivalence work for Italian EPC contractors sourcing from China

Italian EPCs procuring pressure equipment from China regularly face a difficulty that does not appear in the quote: mapping between European and American design standards (UNI EN 13445, ASME VIII Div.1, EN 10204) and the Chinese regulatory framework (GB/T 150 and the GB/T family). The Chinese manufacturer works according to GB/T. Your specification references UNI or ASME. The test certificate requires EN 10204 Type 3.1 or 3.2. Without a documented regulatory bridge at the PO stage, the difference emerges only at final inspection.

1. Pressure vessels: UNI EN 13445 and ASME VIII Div.1 vs GB/T 150

UNI EN 13445 and ASME VIII Div. 1 are the two regulatory frameworks accepted in Italian EPC projects for unfired pressure vessels. The Chinese manufacturer works to GB/T 150. The deltas concern welding coefficients, geometric tolerances on torispherical heads, NDE radiographic requirements, and post-weld heat treatment procedures. Each of these is resolvable during the PO phase with an equivalence note signed by the manufacturer. Leaving them unresolved means renegotiating after testing, at full cost.

2. Material traceability: EN 10204 Type 3.1 vs Type 3.2

EN 10204 Type 3.1 is an internal manufacturer certification. EN 10204 Type 3.2 requires the involvement of an independent third-party inspector or an inspector designated by the buyer. Many Italian EPC specifications require 3.2 for critical parts. Chinese manufacturers provide 3.1 by default. If the difference is not explicitly stated in the PO with reference to the specific material code, the order arrives with the wrong certification and must be redone—with the part already on-site.

3. Welding symbols and weld bead geometry

Italian designs use ISO 2553 symbology. A Chinese manufacturer trained on GB/T 324 may interpret the arrow side/other side convention and the predefined geometries for partial penetration welds differently. The weld appears visually correct, but the throat and penetration profile do not match what was specified. Reviewing the WPS before the start of manufacturing, with bilingual sign-off, eliminates this risk.

What it means during the PO phase

These three points are not manufacturing errors. They are regulatory coordination gaps at the border between two industrial cultures. All three are resolvable during the PO phase at a negligible cost. Resolving them at the testing phase costs the price of rework plus schedule slippage.

What we do

Meritus Technology is your procurement office in China. For your order, we perform a technical review of the specification package, map every Italian or American regulatory requirement against the applicable GB/T standard, and document the equivalency bridge in the PO before commencement. We manage third-party inspections according to EN 10204 Type 3.2 when required. Our EPC clients operate in Italy, Europe, and on oil and gas projects in the Middle East, Africa, and Latin America.

If you are sourcing pressure equipment from China for an Italian EPC project and want to see the equivalency checklist we use, a fifteen-minute Teams call is enough to share it.

Contact: sales@meritustech.com · WhatsApp +86 134 8206 1802 · www.meritustech.com