The VDMA conference provided an overview of the current state of development of the Digital Product Passport (DPP) from the perspectives of industry, standardisation bodies, and trade associations.
It became evident that the DPP is still in a significant development phase. Alongside existing legislative requirements, many future concepts were presented that are currently being developed through standardization activities and political discussions.
For the sealing industry, it is essential to clearly distinguish between existing legal requirements, ongoing standardization activities, and future concepts and visions.
The presentation outlined the long-term vision of a fully digital conformity assessment system.
Key topics included:
This presentation primarily described a future target state rather than current regulatory requirements.
Many of the concepts presented are not yet mandatory under existing legislation. For ESA members, the key takeaway is: Product documentation will increasingly become digital.
Companies should therefore begin structuring and managing product data digitally today.
This presentation focused on the current status of European standardisation activities for the DPP.
Topics included:
A key message was that the future DPP system will consist of standardised technical modules.
This was arguably one of the most important presentations of the conference.
It clearly demonstrated that the current focus is not on defining product-specific information, but rather on establishing the technical infrastructure required for the DPP ecosystem.
For the sealing industry, this means that the primary challenge will not simply be providing product data but ensuring that data can be exchanged in a standardised and interoperable manner.
It was repeatedly emphasised that significant parts of the DPP ecosystem are still under development.
Examples include:
Assessment for ESA
This confirms that many technical and organisational questions remain unresolved.
In particular, there is currently no clear guidance regarding the future role of component manufacturers, including sealing manufacturers.
This presentation introduced the upcoming international standardisation activities.
The objective is to harmonise:
This work is particularly relevant for sealing manufacturers operating globally.
It indicates that the DPP is likely to evolve beyond Europe into an internationally harmonised framework.
This presentation explained why standardised interfaces are essential for the machinery industry.
Topics included:
Assessment for ESA
Although sealing products are not machinery themselves, their product information will likely become part of future digital supply chains.
For ESA members, this highlights the importance of developing a common data model for sealing products at an early stage.
This presentation examined how the DPP may affect the mechanical engineering sector.
Key topics included:
The presentation clearly demonstrated that companies should begin reviewing and organising their product data today.
However, it should also be noted that mechanical engineering products are currently not covered by a delegated act under the ESPR.
Consequently, the concepts presented should primarily be regarded as preparation for future regulatory developments rather than existing legal obligations.
The regulatory framework is not yet finalised.
At present, there are no specific DPP requirements for machinery, sealing products, or sealing components.
Most presentations reflected ongoing standardisation work and future implementation concepts rather than binding legislation.
The role of intermediate manufacturers remains unclear.
This is arguably one of the most important issues for ESA members.
Future DPP requirements are already being developed for product groups such as iron and steel.
However, it remains unclear how these requirements will apply to companies that further process these materials into new products.
For example, if a sealing manufacturer purchases steel and uses it to manufacture a sealing component, several important questions remain unanswered:
At present, none of these questions has been conclusively addressed in either legislation or the current standardisation work.
This is particularly relevant for sealing products consisting of multiple materials, such as steel, elastomers, PTFE or graphite.
ESA should actively engage in these discussions to ensure that practical and proportionate solutions are developed for component manufacturers.
Interoperability will be the key success factor.
Nearly every presentation emphasised that standardised:
will form the foundation of the future DPP ecosystem.
ESA has an opportunity to influence future developments.
Since many technical, organisational and regulatory aspects are still under discussion, ESA has an opportunity to represent the interests of the sealing industry during the ongoing development of standards and future legislation.
From today's perspective, there is no immediate legal obligation for sealing manufacturers to provide a DPP.
Nevertheless, it is highly likely that sealing manufacturers will become part of future digital supply chains as suppliers to OEMs.
Several critical questions remain unanswered, particularly regarding:
For ESA, the current phase represents an important opportunity to actively participate in European standardisation and legislative discussions. Doing so will help ensure that the future DPP framework is practical, proportionate, and aligned with the specific needs of the sealing industry.
Chrisantos Rich,
Eagle Burgmann, ESG DPP Task Force Moderator
Sandy Van den Broeck,
ESG Director, ESA