Simple Pressure Vessels Directive 2014/29/EU: Compliance and CE Marking
Directive 2014/29/EU covers welded vessels for air or nitrogen with PS×V above 50 bar·litre. IgeraIndustria answers every SPVD compliance question: scope criteria, PS×V thresholds, conformity modules and CE marking requirements. Your team gets the exact article in seconds.
SPVD 2014/29/EU: scope, PS×V thresholds and conformity modules for simple pressure vessels
Manufacturers of air receivers, compressed-air tanks and nitrogen accumulators must determine whether SPVD or PED applies. The answer depends on the vessel’s fluid, material, construction and PS×V value. Getting it wrong means applying the wrong conformity module.
PS×V > 50 bar·litre
The SPVD threshold: vessels with PS×V at or below 50 bar·litre fall below SPVD scope. Above this threshold, SPVD (or PED if criteria not met) applies.
Air or nitrogen only
SPVD covers only vessels intended to contain air or nitrogen. Vessels for flammable, toxic, oxidising or corrosive gases fall under PED 2014/68/EU regardless of PS×V.
Modules A to G
SPVD uses conformity modules A2, E1, B+D, B+E, B+F, G and H depending on PS×V. PS×V above 3,000 bar·litre requires a Notified Body.
The most common mistake is applying PED when SPVD is the correct directive, or assuming SPVD covers any pressure vessel. IgeraIndustria resolves directive selection in seconds by checking all SPVD scope criteria against the product specification.
Instant SPVD compliance query by requirement
IgeraIndustria locates the exact SPVD 2014/29/EU requirement for each question and responds with the applicable scope criterion, PS×V threshold and conformity module.
SPVD vs PED directive selection
IgeraIndustria checks all SPVD scope criteria against your vessel specification: fluid (air/nitrogen only), material (non-alloy steel or aluminium alloy), construction (cylindrical, non-fired), temperature range and PS×V. If any criterion fails, the vessel falls under PED.
PS×V threshold calculation
IgeraIndustria calculates PS×V for your vessel and determines whether it falls below 50 bar·litre (neither SPVD nor PED, but GPSD applies), between 50 and 3,000 bar·litre (SPVD modules A2 or E1), or above 3,000 bar·litre (SPVD with Notified Body required).
Conformity module selection for SPVD
For PS×V 50–3,000 bar·litre: modules A2 or E1 are available. For PS×V above 3,000: the manufacturer must choose B+D, B+E, B+F, G or H. IgeraIndustria explains each module’s requirements and the Notified Body’s role in each.
Material requirements under SPVD
SPVD limits materials to non-alloy quality steel (with specific elongation requirements), aluminium (not strain-hardened), or aluminium alloy (not strain-hardened). IgeraIndustria identifies which material grades qualify and which fall outside SPVD scope.
CE marking content and data plate
SPVD vessels must bear CE marking and a data plate with: manufacturer’s name, designation, volume, PS, TS range, serial number, year of manufacture, and vessel series designation. For PS×V above 3,000 bar·litre, the NB identification number must follow CE. IgeraIndustria details the required marking.
SPVD and the General Product Safety Directive
Vessels below 50 bar·litre are outside SPVD and PED scope but must still be safe under the General Product Safety Regulation (GPSR). IgeraIndustria clarifies the obligations that apply to sub-threshold vessels and what documentation the manufacturer must maintain.
Complete SPVD 2014/29/EU compliance support
From directive selection through technical file preparation and CE marking, IgeraIndustria supports the engineering and regulatory team at every stage of SPVD conformity assessment.
Welding requirements for SPVD vessels
SPVD requires that welds are made by qualified personnel using qualified procedures. IgeraIndustria clarifies which welding qualification standards apply (EN ISO 9606-1 for steel welders, EN ISO 9606-2 for aluminium), and what weld testing is required for each conformity module.
Hydraulic pressure test requirements
SPVD requires hydraulic pressure testing at 1.5 times PS before CE marking. IgeraIndustria explains test pressure calculation, test duration, acceptance criteria, and documentation requirements. For module E1 and above, the Notified Body must witness the test.
Instructions and safety information
SPVD requires manufacturers to provide instructions covering: installation, operation, maintenance, permissible working range (PS, TS), and inspection intervals. IgeraIndustria identifies the mandatory content of the instructions and the languages required for the target EU market.
DoC content for SPVD
The SPVD Declaration of Conformity must include: manufacturer’s name and address, vessel description and serial number, reference to SPVD 2014/29/EU, harmonised standards applied (EN 286 series), NB name and certificate number (if applicable), and authorised signatory. IgeraIndustria details the exact required content.
Authorised representative obligations
Non-EU manufacturers must appoint an EU Authorised Representative before CE marking. The AR holds the technical file and DoC in the EU and acts as the contact point for market surveillance authorities. IgeraIndustria explains the AR’s obligations under SPVD.
Market surveillance and non-conformity response
If a national authority identifies a non-conformity with SPVD, the manufacturer has obligations to inform other EU authorities. IgeraIndustria helps prepare corrective action plans and the documented response required under the SPVD market surveillance provisions.
The 4 key requirements of SPVD 2014/29/EU
These requirements define what manufacturers must demonstrate before affixing CE marking to simple pressure vessels placed on the EU market.
Scope requirement — vessel definition criteria
The vessel must meet all SPVD definition criteria simultaneously: (1) welded construction, (2) internal gauge pressure above 0.5 bar, (3) air or nitrogen only, (4) non-fired, (5) non-alloy quality steel, aluminium or aluminium alloy, (6) cylindrical section with circular cross-section and flat or domed ends, (7) temperature limits respected. If any criterion fails, the vessel exits SPVD and must comply with PED 2014/68/EU.
Technical design requirements
SPVD Annex I Section 2 requires that vessels are designed for the stresses expected in normal service, with adequate mechanical and dimensional properties. Minimum wall thickness is defined by calculation formulae in harmonised standard EN 286 (parts 1–4). IgeraIndustria identifies the applicable EN 286 part for each vessel type (air receivers, hydraulic braking systems, pneumatic systems, textile machinery).
Manufacturing and testing requirements
Manufacturers must implement a quality plan covering: material inspection and traceability, cutting and forming operations, weld procedure and welder qualifications, dimensional inspection, and hydraulic pressure test at 1.5 × PS. For module E1 and above, the Notified Body must verify and certify the quality system.
CE marking and technical file retention
CE marking must be affixed before placing on market. The technical file must be kept for 10 years after the last vessel of the series is placed on market. For conformity modules requiring a Notified Body, the NB identification number must appear after CE. The DoC must accompany the vessel or be available on request.
How IgeraIndustria works for SPVD 2014/29/EU
Five steps from loading your vessel documentation to receiving an answer with the exact SPVD article, applicable module, and Notified Body requirement.
Index your simple pressure vessel technical documentation
Upload your design calculations, weld procedure qualifications, test reports and existing DoCs. IgeraIndustria processes them together with the full SPVD 2014/29/EU text and harmonised EN 286 standards in under 24 hours.
Connect the assistant to your engineering team
Embed it in your compliance portal, Teams, Slack or as a standalone tool for the engineering and regulatory team. One line of code. Compatible with any document management system.
Ask in plain language
«Does our air receiver fall under SPVD or PED?», «Our vessel has PS=8 bar and V=300 litres — what module applies?», «Do we need a Notified Body for a 500-litre nitrogen accumulator?»
IgeraIndustria searches across 2 knowledge layers
First in your internal technical files and calculations, then in the indexed SPVD 2014/29/EU directive text and EN 286 series harmonised standards.
Answer with directive reference and applicable module
The response confirms whether SPVD or PED applies, states which conformity module is required based on PS×V, identifies Notified Body requirements, and flags the most common non-conformities that market surveillance authorities detect.
IgeraIndustria in action — SPVD 2014/29/EU directive selection
SPVD vs PED directive selection for an air receiver resolved in under 3 seconds with PS×V calculation and applicable conformity module.
Regulatory Affairs Engineer
We manufacture welded steel air receivers for compressed-air systems. PS=10 bar, V=500 litres. Does SPVD or PED apply and what conformity module do we need?
IgeraIndustria
SPVD 2014/29/EU — Directive Selection Result
PS×V = 10 × 500 = 5,000 bar·litre | All SPVD criteria met
- • Directive: SPVD 2014/29/EU applies (not PED) — air only, non-alloy steel, non-fired, cylindrical
- • PS×V = 5,000 > 3,000 bar·litre → Notified Body required
- • Available modules: B+D, B+E, B+F, G or H
⚠️ Module B requires EU type-examination certificate from NB before production — allow 8–12 weeks for NB assessment
✓ SPVD 2014/29/EU Art. 4 + Annex II · Confidence: 99.3%
60
employees, air receiver manufacturer
-60%
directive selection time per order
0
wrong directive applied since implementation
We manufacture air receivers in a wide range of PS and volume combinations. For each order we had to manually check whether SPVD or PED applied and which module was required. IgeraIndustria does this in seconds with the exact directive article and PS×V calculation. We have not applied the wrong directive once since we implemented it.
*Representative testimonial based on results from real customers
Frequently asked questions — SPVD 2014/29/EU
What is a simple pressure vessel under Directive 2014/29/EU?
A simple pressure vessel is defined as any welded vessel subject to internal gauge pressure greater than 0.5 bar, intended to contain air or nitrogen, not intended to be fired, and manufactured from non-alloy quality steel, aluminium or aluminium alloy. The vessel must have a cylindrical section with circular cross-section, with flat or domed ends, operating at a temperature not below -50°C or above 300°C for steel (100°C for aluminium alloys). PS×V must exceed 50 bar·litre to fall within SPVD.
What conformity modules apply to SPVD 2014/29/EU?
For PS×V between 50 and 3,000 bar·litre: the manufacturer can choose module A2 (internal production control plus supervised product testing) or module E1 (product quality assurance with Notified Body). For PS×V above 3,000 bar·litre: module A2 is no longer sufficient; the manufacturer must use module B (EU type-examination) plus D, E or F, or use module G (unit verification) or H (full quality assurance). A Notified Body is required for PS×V above 3,000 bar·litre.
Can a vessel that falls under SPVD also fall under PED?
No. SPVD 2014/29/EU and PED 2014/68/EU are mutually exclusive for vessels that meet all SPVD criteria. If a vessel meets the SPVD definition (simple, air/nitrogen only, non-fired, specific materials) and PS×V exceeds 50 bar·litre, it falls under SPVD alone. If any SPVD criterion is not met (e.g. contains flammable gas, or is made of alloy steel), the vessel falls under PED. Vessels with PS×V ≤ 50 bar·litre fall under neither directive but must still be safe under the General Product Safety Directive.
IgeraIndustria SPVD 2014/29/EU Plans
No lock-in. Cancel whenever you want.
Starter
For simple pressure vessel manufacturers that need to determine directive applicability and conformity modules without months of regulatory research.
- SPVD 2014/29/EU pre-indexed
- PS×V threshold calculator
- SPVD vs PED directive selector
- 1,000 queries/month
- Widget for the engineering team
- Email support
Professional
For companies with regular vessel production that need ongoing SPVD compliance support for engineering and quality teams.
- SPVD + internal technical files indexed
- Conformity module selection guide
- Technical file gap analysis
- 5,000 queries/month
- Standard update alerts
- Priority support
Enterprise
For industrial groups with multiple vessel product lines requiring integrated SPVD, PED and ATEX compliance management.
- Multi-directive (SPVD + PED + ATEX)
- Multi-product line management
- Market surveillance response kit
- Unlimited queries
- 99.9% uptime SLA
- Dedicated customer success
Comply with SPVD 2014/29/EU. Resolve directive selection before production starts.
- Free 14-day trial — no credit card required
- Full SPVD 2014/29/EU text and EN 286 harmonised standards pre-indexed from day 1
- Upload your vessel calculations, weld qualifications and technical files
- PS×V threshold calculator and SPVD vs PED directive selector