AD 2000

Overview

AD 2000 (Arbeitsgemeinschaft Druckbehälter) is a comprehensive German pressure vessel code used for the design, fabrication, and inspection of pressure equipment. It is widely accepted across Europe and supports compliance with the Pressure Equipment Directive (PED).

Origin: Germany

Application: Pressure vessels & boilers

Compliance: PED compatible

Structure: Worksheet-based system

Key Features

Structured into modular worksheets
Widely accepted in European projects
Compatible with PED requirements
Detailed design and calculation rules
Strong focus on fabrication quality

AD 2000 Worksheet Structure

Worksheet Series	Subject
W (Materials)	Material properties and allowable stresses
B (Calculation)	Shell thickness, heads, openings, flanges
HP (Fabrication)	Welding, heat treatment, tolerances
TRD	Technical rules for steam boilers
S (Special Cases)	Jacketed vessels, thick-walled designs

Design & Calculation

Shell thickness and stress calculations
Design of heads, nozzles, and flanges
Pressure and temperature design conditions
Use of allowable stress values

Fabrication & Quality

Qualified welding procedures (WPS/PQR)
Heat treatment requirements
Dimensional tolerances
Material traceability

Applications

Pressure vessels and process equipment
Steam boilers and thermal systems
Chemical and petrochemical plants
European industrial projects

Relation to PED

AD 2000 is widely used as a recognized code for demonstrating compliance with PED 2014/68/EU. It provides detailed technical rules that align with essential safety requirements for CE marking.