Digital operating manual
Save money.
Protect the environment.
Overview and solution approach to the EU Machinery Regulation for the digital operating manual.
And the implementation within the context of the old Machinery Directive.
- Autor: ECHO PRM
- Reading time: 6 min
Background and implementation in our new white paper. (as of January 2025)
In a nutshell:
The time has come!
After more than 15 years, the previous EU Machinery Directive 2006/42/EC will be replaced by the new EU Machinery Regulation.
For technical documentation, a long-awaited change is becoming a reality:
The absolutely legally compliant implementation of digital operating instructions.
And they are already available now – even under the Machinery Directive of 2006, which is still valid.
Manufacturers of machines and similar products can now finally get started.
The future is
NOW.
The new regulation will not come into force until January 20, 2027 (Article 54 of the regulation).
However, the digital operating instructions can be implemented straight away.
This is possible because the guidelines for the old Machinery Directive were updated accordingly in April 2024.
Approved!
The so-called Guide to the Application of the Machinery Directive 2006/42/EC contains explanations of the official requirements.
This 3rd update (edition 2.3) from April 2024 contains clarifications on instructions/manuals if they are available in digital form.
To summarize: If you follow the rules of the new EU Machinery Regulation from 2023, documents in digital format can also be provided in accordance with the currently valid old directive!
In addition to the obvious advantages, such as resource and cost savings, digital instructions have further benefits.
In the risk assessment for CE marking, safety can be massively increased by a digital supplement. This is especially true if components that are easier to consume are provided digitally, such as clickable instructions, video tutorials, etc.
Too much money for too much paper
An example: One page of printed paper costs about 0.06€. Let’s assume you produce 2000 machines a year. Each manual contains 300 pages. This results in 600,000 sheets of paper just for printing the instructions.
600.000 x 0,06 € = 36.000 €
Annual expenses
The smart way to digital operating manuals
The future of operating manuals is digital.
ECHO PRM is the tool for machine manufacturers that enables you to use the machine ordinance for yourself to save costs, paper waste and service effort and to protect the environment together. Your user simply scans the QR code on your product using a smartphone and immediately receives an overview with all the information relevant to him. Done.
ECHO PRM: the all-inclusive solution
Bei ECHO PRM haben wir potentielle Herausforderungen der digitalen Betriebsanleitung bereits gelöst
Challenges
Solutions
- (40): ... are able, at the request of the user at the time of purchase, to provide the instructions in paper form free of charge. The manufacturer should also consider providing the contact details where the user can request to receive the instructions by post...
- Simple integration of a form for requesting a printed version can be integrated into the web app. The manufacturer automatically knows which serial number has requested the instructions.
- Art.10; para.7,a: ... indicate on the machinery or associated product ...how the digital instructions can be accessed...
- Sticker with QR code and textual information such as “for manual scan here”, which indicates the download option via QR code
- Art.10; para.7,b:...provide in a format that enables the user to print, download and store the instructions on an electronic device...
- For example, instructions can be stored as a PDF for download and thus saved on the end device for offline use.
- Art.10; para.7,b:...this requirement also applies when the instruction handbook is embedded in the software of the machine or associated product
- ECHO PRM can be used as a complementary solution to internal machine storage, e.g. the document can be shown on the internal display as well as retrieved via the QR code. The user therefore has full access even if the machine fails
- Art.10; para.7,c:...make them accessible online during the expected lifetime of the machinery or the associated product and for at least ten years after the machinery or the associated product has been placed on the market...
- ECHO PRM will still be around in 10 years' time. If not, you can use the “white label domain” we offer to ensure that you can “fill” the codes with information even without our platform.
- Art.10; para.7: ... The instructions...shall be written in a language which is easily understood by users, as determined by the Member State concerned, and shall be clear, understandable and legible.
- ECHO PRM automatically recognizes the language of the end device (smartphone, tablet, etc.) and displays the documents in the corresponding national language.
What else? ECHO PRM is so much more!
Customer feedback. Interaction. Direct & simple!
In addition to providing information, the entire communication with the end user can be taken to a whole new level: Cleverly evaluate categorised feedback, process and document service requests and so much more.
Learn more.
Scan. There it is.
To use ECHO PRM, your customer does not need to install an app or log in! Access is possible immediately with any smartphone or tablet. One scan is enough and your user has access to all stored documents, device specifications, applications and much more. Why make things complicated when they can be so simple?
Safety comes first. And second. And third.
At ECHO PRM, data protection is a core value. We do everything we can to keep your data safe on servers in Germany. We do not use tracking tools and work closely with professional data protectionists. No one but you can change information. We do not sell personal information and do not share data with third parties. Never.
On your marks. Ready!
We work every day to improve our product. Integrating ECHO PRM into your business is effortless. You have no IT and programming effort, are always kept up to date and automatically secure new features. So you can concentrate on what’s really important – your products.
ECHO is simple. Great.
We want to save you time instead of saddling you with more work. Thanks to the hierarchical product logic in the backend, you can maintain, change and create your products with just a few clicks.
Download Whitepaper NOW
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Information on the processing of your data can be found in our privacy policy.