Fraunhofer Institute for Production Systems and Design Technology
Fraunhofer Institute for Production Systems and Design Technology

Digital Product Passport (DPP)

What is a digital product passport?

A digital product passport (DPP) is the technical provision of product-specific data containing information about a product's constituents, such as components, materials, and chemical substances. Additionally, a DPP can include important life cycle and sustainability-related information, such as repairability, spare parts, and proper disposal. This data is collected throughout the product's entire life cycle and can be used for various purposes at each stage. These purposes include optimizing design and manufacturing, providing support during use and maintenance, and planning resource-efficient disposal. This data must be digitally accessible and assignable to a specific product or asset.

Which products are subject to digital product passports?

The gradual introduction of the digital product passport is specified by legal requirements and industry-specific initiatives. The first binding requirements for batteries, in accordance with the EU Battery Regulation, will take effect in February 2025. Other product categories, such as textiles, electronic devices, furniture, and building materials will follow in the years thereafter. Therefore, companies should familiarize themselves with the DPP's requirements and implementation options at an early stage to ensure they comply with legal requirements in a timely manner. Otherwise, they risk being unable to offer their products on the EU market. However, companies that view the DPP as more than just a means of complying with regulatory requirements can tap into additional potential for developing new business models.

 

Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR)

The information described in the digital product passport, known as DPP data, describes the »what«. The »how«, on the other hand, is described by the Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR). The ESPR outlines a cross-product DPP system supplemented by product-specific regulations and rules. This system is being developed horizontally for all product groups and pieces of legislation and includes a central EU DPP register.

Under the ESPR, which took effect on July 18, 2024, the digital product passport will be mandatory for various product categories in a step-by-step process. Products within the ESPR's scope must have a DPP to be sold on the EU market. The respective distributor of the product must provide this DPP and integrate relevant information from previous partners in the supply chain. Thus, the EU is a pioneer in this field. However, similar initiatives with different objectives are now being developed worldwide. The ESPR replaces the previous Ecodesign Directive and aims to improve product circularity. It also considers repairability and durability more carefully.

 

Digital product passport projects

Various initiatives and projects are working on the conceptual and practical design of the digital product passport to promote its introduction. As part of the »Battery Pass« project, industry-specific DPP data requirements and a DPP system architecture were developed for the battery sector. Technical standards were also identified using a framework. These results have been incorporated into European standardization efforts and are currently being further developed in the BatteryPass-Ready project. This project aims to develop a digital product passport test system for economic operators and IT service providers.

As part of the European CIRPASS project, roadmaps for digital product passport prototypes were developed for the electronics, battery, and textile industries. The follow-up initiative, CIRPASS 2, is expected to provide concrete approaches for practical implementation.

The Catena-X data ecosystem is a technical solution that enables secure and standardized data exchange. It is particularly relevant for the automotive industry, where the DPP Working Group is working on its concrete implementation. Similar initiatives are emerging in other industries, including Aerospace-X for aerospace, Construct-X for construction and real estate, and Cir4fun for furniture.

 

CEN CLC JTC 24

Over 300 experts from 20 EU member states, as well as Switzerland, the UK, and Norway, are currently developing the technical foundations in the form of harmonized European standards (hEN) under the leadership of Fraunhofer IPK.

Digital product passport: implications for businesses

The introduction of a DPP brings far-reaching changes for companies. These require organizational and procedural adjustments as well as changes to IT systems, infrastructure, and data management. In addition to the uncertain regulatory dynamics, it is primarily the three issues of data availability, data quality, and procedural realignment that pose challenges for companies.

Data availability

A key issue is data availability. Many companies face the challenge of not having completely recorded, suitable, or detailed DPP-relevant data, such as product data at the batch or instance level. Information from the supply chain, such as material compositions or manufacturing processes, is particularly difficult to access. This requires developing new interfaces and cooperating closely with suppliers and partners.

Data quality

Data quality is also crucial. In order to make meaningful use of the digital product passport, existing data must be validated, consolidated, and converted into a uniform format. This may require extensive adjustments to existing IT systems and processes. Systems for recording, managing, and providing product and material data must be expanded so that they can integrate both internal and external data sources. This may require the use of new software solutions or the expansion of existing systems.

Process realignment

Implementing the DPP often requires process realignment. It is essential for companies to explicitly outline responsibilities and facilitate seamless collaboration among all departments, including product development, production, IT, and compliance. Who in the company is responsible for issuing and completing the DPP? Who takes over management after the product is sold? Defining clear responsibilities is crucial for efficiently managing the DPP in compliance with the law.

What added value does the digital product passport provide?

The digital product passport offers companies numerous advantages beyond regulatory compliance. It allows for the more efficient use of product and material data, helping companies fully exploit their economic and ecological potential. When implemented correctly, processes become data-driven, automatable, and future-proof. The most important added values are listed below.

Circular economy

The digital product passport is important for the circular economy. By collecting batch- and instance-specific data such as repair and maintenance information, companies can maintain, repair, and reuse their products more efficiently. This increases the circularity and sustainability of products.

Data transparency

The digital product passport promotes cross-company data exchange by enabling uniform information provision. It supports collaboration along the value chain while increasing the transparency of sustainability-related data in supply chains.

Data availability

Digitalizing product information makes data available and usable throughout the entire product lifecycle, creating transparency. The digital product passport grows with the product and is always accessible, ensuring that no information is lost along the value chain.

Product sustainability

With the help of the DPP, data from the usage and end-of-life phases can be collected and incorporated into the design phase. These insights help companies select more sustainable materials and design products that conserve resources and have a longer lifespan.

Compliance and Reporting

Standardized storage and management of material and product data allow companies to efficiently meet regulatory requirements and exploit synergies between different regulations.

Business models

The digital product passport creates opportunities for new business models, including providing customer-specific data, selling functionalities instead of physical products, reusing products, offering more efficient repair services, and optimizing return strategies at the end of a product's life cycle.

Our support on your way to a digital product passport

It is crucial that the DPP is practical, strategic, and compatible with other systems – with a clear understanding of the requirements of industrial reality. We support you step by step in the introduction and implementation of the digital product passport. We use needs-based methods and practical approaches to ensure that you fully exploit the potential of the DPP and create sustainable added value for your company.

1. Definition of a target

Before beginning the detailed analysis, wewill  develop a clear target vision together. This will serve as a guide for the next steps and a basis for decision-making.

2. Analysis of your individual requirements

We support you to identify the internal and external requirements relevant to introducing a digital product passport. In doing so, we consider regulatory requirements and industry-specific developments.

3. Development of a customized capability map

Based on the identified requirements, we create a structured overview of the necessary skills and expertise. This capability map serves as the foundation for implementing the digital product pass and assists you in aligning your processes in a targeted manner.

4. Identification of suitable solutions

We support you in identifying and evaluating new and existing solutions for implementing the capability map, considering their scalability and future robustness. This includes solutions for the automated creation of the digital product pass, efficient data acquisition, and company-wide data networking, in particular.

5. Creation of a needs-based roadmap

We will work with you to develop a detailed roadmap for the step-by-step implementation process. This roadmap provides guidance and enables the structured integration of the digital product passport and its associated infrastructure into your business processes.

6. Conduct SWOT analyses

We evaluate the DPP ecosystem in your company, identify potential and risks, and derive concrete recommendations for action, all of which we do in collaboration with you.

7. Data point analysis and evaluation of data availability

We analyze and evaluate existing data points in terms of regulatory requirements, such as the Battery Regulation. Additionally, we identify relevant data suppliers and conduct a gap analysis on data availability. These steps allow us to establish a solid foundation for data collection in the context of the digital product passport.

8. Development of practical implementation strategies

We develop various strategies for implementing the DPP, which we then evaluate with you. We assign these strategies to the milestones of your roadmap to ensure a structured implementation process. Additionally, we develop concepts, provide targeted training, and perform a potential analysis of the use of automated data analysis and artificial intelligence.

9. Process design

Digital product passports enable the seamless integration of information from the areas of development, production, and service. We support you in designing end-to-end value creation processes and data flows without the need for additional isolated solutions. Interoperability is always our guiding principle.

10. Prototype construction and technical implementation

Based on the strategies developed, we support you in the technical implementation of the digital product passport. This includes the development of initial functional prototypes, integration into existing systems, and the design of the necessary IT infrastructure. In addition, we assist you with data modeling, the design of suitable interfaces, and the connection of relevant system components.

Digital product passport at Fraunhofer IPK

The digital product passport is being approached from two angles at Fraunhofer IPK.

 

Contact

DPPs

Dr. Kai Lindow and his team develop practical implementation solutions for digital product passports on behalf of industry and in close cooperation with it.

Get advice now!
 

Contact

Battery passport

Prof. Dr. Thomas Knothe, as the chair and a member of the European committees on the battery passport, is your contact for all matters relating to this topic, particularly the implementation of regulatory requirements.

Get advice now!

You might also be interested in: