# Digital nameplate: one QR code for every unit

> With ManualPass, you create serial numbers for each machine type, individually or as a consecutive range. Each unit receives a unique identification link based on the principle of IEC 61406 that leads to the scan page with serial number and year of construction. At the same address, ManualPass delivers a digital nameplate in JSON format whose field names are modelled on the “Digital Nameplate” submodel of the Asset Administration Shell.

Source: https://manualpass.eu/en/features/digital-nameplate/ · Updated: 07/10/2026 · ManualPass (https://manualpass.eu)

The nameplate states the manufacturer, type, serial number and year of construction – exactly the information that service staff, operators and authorities need again and again. With the digital nameplate, this information is also available online, together with the documents that belong to this machine.

## One QR code per unit instead of only per type

The [fixed QR code per machine type](https://manualpass.eu/en/features/qr-code/) is sufficient for the digital instructions for use. If you want to mark each unit individually, you also create serial numbers in ManualPass:

- **individually or as a list**, for example copied from your production planning,
- **as a consecutive range** with prefix, start number and number of digits – for example `BS400-2026-0001` to `BS400-2026-0500`,
- **with year of construction**, which appears on the scan page and in the digital nameplate.

Each unit receives its own permanently valid link following the pattern `…/p/CODE/sn/SERIAL-NUMBER`. It leads to the familiar [scan page](https://manualpass.eu/en/features/scan-page/) with all documents and additionally shows the serial number and year of construction. If a customer requests the paper version, the serial number is already filled in.

## Identification link based on the principle of IEC 61406

The IEC 61406 series of standards describes how a product is identified via a unique web address – the identification link. It is placed on the product as a QR code and can be recognised as such by a frame.

ManualPass generates these links per serial number and, if you wish, prints the labels with the matching frame. As usual, the labels are available in 60, 85 and 120 mm, with up to three languages and with “S/N” and year of construction in plain text.

!!! tipp "Practical tip"
    Print the labels for an entire series in one go – ManualPass creates up to 500 labels per print job, each with its own QR code.

## Machine-readable: the same address delivers data

People open the link in a browser. Software – a service tool, the ERP system or the machine’s control system – requests the same address and receives a **digital nameplate in JSON format**:

| Information | Example |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer and contact | Name, address, email |
| Product | Designation and type |
| Unit | Serial number, year of construction |
| Marking | CE |
| Documents | Type, language, version, date, download link, SHA-256 checksum |

The field names are modelled on the “Digital Nameplate” submodel of the Asset Administration Shell, which is widely used in mechanical engineering. This makes it easier to import the data into existing systems.

## DPP-ready – without promising too much

As of October 2026, a Digital Product Passport under the Ecodesign Regulation is not planned for machinery; it will first become mandatory for other product groups, such as batteries from February 2027. More on this in the guide [Digital Product Passport for machinery](https://manualpass.eu/en/guides/digital-product-passport-machinery/).

With ManualPass, however, you already have important building blocks of a passport:

1. **A unique identifier per unit** via the identification link.
2. **Machine-readable data** at a permanent address.
3. **Versioned documents** with a SHA-256 checksum and a complete [audit trail](https://manualpass.eu/en/features/audit-trail/).

!!! achtung "Common misconception"
    “With a digital nameplate, I already have a product passport.” No – the EU defines the content, access rights and registration of a passport for each product group. The digital nameplate is a step in that direction, not a substitute.

The best way to try out serial numbers and labels is directly in a free trial account; the [live demo](https://manualpass.eu/en/demo/) shows what the scan page looks like for your customers. The [features](https://manualpass.eu/en/features/) page gives an overview of all building blocks.

## Frequently asked questions

**What is a digital nameplate?**
A digital nameplate additionally provides the information on the physical nameplate – manufacturer, type, serial number, year of construction – in digital form, accessible via a QR code on the machine. With ManualPass, the documents of the machine type are added, such as the instructions for use and the EU declaration of conformity.

**What does IEC 61406 mean?**
The IEC 61406 series of standards describes a unique identification link: a web address that identifies an individual product and is usually attached to the product as a QR code with a special frame. ManualPass generates such links per serial number and, if you wish, prints them with this frame. Please check against the text of the standard whether your marking meets the standard in the individual case.

**Does this make ManualPass a Digital Product Passport?**
No. A Digital Product Passport under the Ecodesign Regulation (EU) 2024/1781 only becomes mandatory for product groups specified in delegated acts; as of October 2026, machinery is not among them. ManualPass is “DPP-ready”: a unique identifier per unit, machine-readable data and versioned documents with a checksum are building blocks on which a future passport can build.

**Do I have to upload new documents for each serial number?**
No. The documents belong to the machine type. All units show the currently valid version; the serial number and year of construction are added on top.

**What happens if a serial number has not been created?**
The link still works and shows the documents of the machine type, just without the details of the individual unit. A misprinted label therefore does not lead nowhere.

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Note: general information, not legal advice.