This Guide is a comprehensive review of the Pressure Equipment Directive (PED) and ASME Section VIII, Division 1.

ASME has received requests from all over the world to provide guidance to manufacturers who have been or will be impacted by the European PED. This document provides that guidance.

Manufacturers of Section VIII pressure vessels will find this document to be a useful tool when working with a notified body toward compliance with the PED and applying the CE mark to their products.

This document begins with an explanation of the European New Approach and continues with the goals of the PED and a description of its scope of coverage. Then, the document offers an in-depth analysis of the PED concept of hazard categories and the various combinations of conformity assessment modules that can be used for each hazard category. Each of the PED Essential Safety Requirements are then covered, including materials, use of Notified Bodies, and requirements for CE marking.

The reader is presented next with a detailed comparison of the PED with Section VIII, Division 1, followed by a modified version of Annex Z for Section VIII, Division 1. This Annex Z provides instructions regarding what additional tasks must be completed to meet the administrative requirements of the PED.