Present code based design against fatigue of welded and non-welded pressure vessel components requires local stress and strain parameters. Appropriate stress analysis has to be carried out mostly based on numerical methods and the design algorithm has to be applied. Considerations of this kind have led to the continuous development of a specific software tool "AD-Merkblatt S2" within the ANSYS-Postprocessing in the framework of a cooperation between CADFEM GmbH and Dortmund University. This tool covers all aspects of code based fatigue design, offers a direct interface (node picking) to the FE-analysis and sums up input and output variables in HTML format as an integral part of the documentation. Furthermore, similar tools for sophisticated fatigue analysis including high quality weld seams under low cycle operating conditions and damage accumulation effects are planned for the nearer future (local. strain approach). Latest scientific trends can be integrated and numerical analyses of typical pressure vessel components can run in the background as a module of fatigue lifetime analysis.