What the standard actually requires — and what SCIC verifies on every lot
Clause extract from EN 818-1:1996+A1:2008 and EN 818-2:1996+A1:2008 (DIN EN 818-1:2008-12 / DIN EN 818-2:2008-12)
Rev. 1 · October 2026 Medium tolerance · Grade 8
Question 1 — Test Method
The link is pulled until it breaks — never stopped at the minimum.
Breaking force is a destructive result by definition: “maximum force which the chain withstands during the course of a static tensile test to destruction”.
The force/extension diagram is recorded throughout, and total ultimate elongation is read at fracture — so the test cannot terminate at a target load.
Pass requires the recorded peak ≥ Table 5 minimumand elongation ≥ 20 %. A failing sample is re-tested on two further samples.
A controlled force rate: 10 N/mm²/s, evenly applied.
“The rate of loading shall be evenly applied (e.g. at a rate of 10 N/mm²/s).” The reference is stress on the nominal link section — not crosshead travel.
No mm/min value exists in EN 818-1 or -2, by design: the mm/min equivalent depends on each machine’s stiffness and jaw seating, so it must be established by a calibration run.
Practical cross-check: at 10 N/mm²/s the minimum breaking force is reached in ≈ 80 s for every size from 4 to 45 mm — much faster means the rate is too high.
EN 818-1 §6.5.3 · Annex A (machine, class 1)EN 818-2 §6.3.1
Table 5 extract — forces and the equivalent machine setting
d (mm)
WLL (t)
MPF (kN)
BF min (kN)
Load rate (kN/min)
Elong. A (min %)
6
1.12
28.3
45.2
33.9
20
8
2
50.3
80.4
60.3
20
10
3.15
78.5
126
94.2
20
13
5.3
133
212
159
20
16
8
201
322
241
20
18
10
254
407
305
20
20
12.5
314
503
377
20
22
15
380
608
456
20
26
21.2
531
849
637
20
32
31.5
804
1290
965
20
36
40
1020
1630
1222
20
45
63
1590
2540
1909
20
Load rate = 10 N/mm²/s × nominal link area (2 × πd²/4), converted to kN/min for machine setting. Highlighted row: d13 — 212 kN minimum reached in ≈ 80 s at 159 kN/min.
SCIC quality control & assurance — applied to every lifting chain we supply
Sampling: 200 m lots · 3 / 2 / 1 destructive samples by size EN 818-1 Table 2 · EN 818-2 §6.2
1Steel & heat traceability
Cast and check analysis verified against EN 818-2 Table 4 — S ≤ 0.025 / 0.030 %, P ≤ 0.025 / 0.030 %. Heat number retained through to the finished lot.
2Heat treatment verified
Full hardening from above AC3, tempered ≥ 400 °C (≥ 1 h equivalent). Effectiveness confirmed by the re-heat test — samples re-heated 1 h at 400 °C must still pass BF and bend.
3100 % proof loading
Every metre proof-loaded to Table 5 MPF, then inspected link by link under proper lighting; faulty links cut out and replaced. Proof force re-applied after acid cleaning or plating.
4Destructive testing per lot
Samples drawn at random per 200 m lot and pulled to fracture at 10 N/mm²/s on a class-1 machine. Peak force and elongation recorded on the force/extension diagram and retained.
5Bend & dimensional checks
Single-link bend test to Table 5 minimum deflection, then examined for cracks and defects. Material diameter measured clear of the weld and away from flattening; pitch within tolerance.
6Marking & documentation
Grade “8” and manufacturer mark at every 20th link or 1 m. Inspection certificate to EN 10204 type 3.1 as standard, type 3.2 on request; records traceable to lot and heat.
We may request cookies to be set on your device. We use cookies to let us know when you visit our websites, how you interact with us, to enrich your user experience, and to customize your relationship with our website.
Click on the different category headings to find out more. You can also change some of your preferences. Note that blocking some types of cookies may impact your experience on our websites and the services we are able to offer.
Essential Website Cookies
These cookies are strictly necessary to provide you with services available through our website and to use some of its features.
Because these cookies are strictly necessary to deliver the website, refusing them will have impact how our site functions. You always can block or delete cookies by changing your browser settings and force blocking all cookies on this website. But this will always prompt you to accept/refuse cookies when revisiting our site.
We fully respect if you want to refuse cookies but to avoid asking you again and again kindly allow us to store a cookie for that. You are free to opt out any time or opt in for other cookies to get a better experience. If you refuse cookies we will remove all set cookies in our domain.
We provide you with a list of stored cookies on your computer in our domain so you can check what we stored. Due to security reasons we are not able to show or modify cookies from other domains. You can check these in your browser security settings.
Other external services
We also use different external services like Google Webfonts, Google Maps, and external Video providers. Since these providers may collect personal data like your IP address we allow you to block them here. Please be aware that this might heavily reduce the functionality and appearance of our site. Changes will take effect once you reload the page.
Google Webfont Settings:
Google Map Settings:
Google reCaptcha Settings:
Vimeo and Youtube video embeds:
Privacy Policy
You can read about our cookies and privacy settings in detail on our Privacy Policy Page.