Starting February 18, 2027, a new requirement applies to all traction batteries, LMT batteries, and industrial batteries with a capacity of more than 2 kWh placed on the EU market for the first time: the digital battery passport. Anyone assembling batteries for electric vehicles, e-bikes, or stationary energy storage systems is now facing a concrete question - not just at the point of market release, but right at the torque tool on the assembly line.
Because the battery passport is not simply a sustainability document. It demands end-to-end traceability across the entire lifecycle - from raw material extraction through to recycling. And part of that traceability starts on the production floor: at every single fastened joint holding a battery cell, a module housing, or a high-voltage pack together.
What the Digital Battery Passport Specifically Requires
EU Battery Regulation (EU) 2023/1542 entered into force on August 17, 2023, and has been directly applicable law across the EU since February 18, 2024. The obligation to fully provide the digital battery passport - including a QR code and a unique identifier - applies from [1] for all affected battery types.
The battery passport is technically a digital record in which all relevant lifecycle information for a battery is stored. The specific data requirements are described in detail in Annex XIII of Regulation (EU) 2023/1542. According to [2], the battery passport is intended in particular to:
- enable the tracking and tracing of a battery,
- provide information on the CO₂ intensity of manufacturing processes,
- include details on the origin of materials used and their chemical composition,
- document performance and durability parameters.
There is an additional consideration: battery passport information must not only be correct and complete at the time of market release. The [3] - throughout the use and recycling phases. Responsibility lies with the party placing the product on the market - typically the manufacturer or importer.
A note on scope: The EU Battery Regulation does not explicitly mandate screw-joint documentation. However, it does require complete traceability of manufacturing processes and performance parameters. The specific manufacturing data that must be stored in the battery passport will be further defined through delegated acts by the EU Commission. This article outlines what documentation requirements can be derived from this for bolted joint assembly — without overstating the regulation's current mandates.
Why Fastened Joints Become Relevant in the Battery Passport
Battery modules and packs contain a large number of safety-critical fastened joints: cell connectors, module frames, cooling plate connections, high-voltage terminals, housing covers. Each of these joints directly affects the performance, durability, and safety of the battery - precisely the parameters the battery passport is designed to capture.
The digital battery passport is intended to support seamless documentation of a battery's life from raw material extraction and production through use to reuse and recycling. This means that manufacturing data from the assembly process is an integral part of the dataset - not an optional add-on.
For fastening assembly, this translates into a clear set of requirements. Anyone who needs to demonstrate in an audit or market surveillance inspection that a battery was properly manufactured must have, for every safety-relevant fastened joint, at minimum:
- Achieved torque (actual value in Nm)
- Achieved angle of rotation (actual value in degrees)
- Timestamp of the fastening operation
- Tool ID (which tool, which calibration status)
- Part number / serial number of the fastened component
- Result (OK / NOK)
Without this data, the end-to-end traceability demanded by the battery passport simply cannot be demonstrated. Manual logging on paper or in spreadsheets does not meet this requirement in practice: it is error-prone, not real-time capable, and difficult to evaluate in an audit situation.
How OPERATOR® Captures Data Automatically During Assembly
This is exactly where GWK's OPERATOR® production tool comes in. It is not a torque wrench in the conventional sense - it is a modular measurement system that captures and documents all relevant process parameters during the fastening operation.
What OPERATOR® records for every fastening operation:
| Parameter | Capture |
|---|---|
| Torque (actual value) | Directly at the sensor, ±1% between 10-100% of the nominal range |
| Angle of rotation (actual value) | Reference-point-free angle measurement |
| Timestamp | Automatically recorded at end of fastening |
| Tool ID | Unique device identifier |
| Result (OK/NOK) | Automatic evaluation against target value window |
Data is transmitted via Wi-Fi - no manual input, no media breaks. The EasyWin® software handles measurement data parametrization, capture, and archiving. For integration with higher-level production systems, the OPERATOR® EST01 is available with PLC communication and Open Protocol - the interface to MES, ERP, or a battery passport data system.
The interchangeable square drive system of the OPERATOR® provides maximum flexibility: one base tool, multiple inserts - for different fastener sizes along the assembly line, without replacing the entire tool system. This reduces the number of tools requiring calibration and significantly simplifies tool ID management.
Calibration: The Foundation of Every Valid Documentation Record
Fastening data is only as good as the tool that generates it. An uncalibrated tool or one that is overdue for calibration produces measurement values that will not hold up in an audit - regardless of how complete the documentation appears.
GWK operates a DAkkS-accredited calibration laboratory with the fully automated DWPM inspection machine (accuracy class 0.2). For companies that cannot or prefer not to send their tools in, a mobile on-site calibration service is available - calibration performed directly at the line, with no production downtime.
For companies that are still in the ramp-up phase or need to cover capacity peaks, GWK ToolRent® offers calibrated OPERATOR® tools for weekly, monthly, or annual rental - including worldwide shipping. This allows documentation obligations to be met even when the in-house tool fleet is not yet fully established.
Timeline: What Needs to Happen Before February 2027
Starting in 2026, the EU will establish a product passport registry through which tiered third-party access to battery passport data will be enabled. The time remaining until February 18, 2027 is shorter than it appears - especially when IT infrastructure, system integration, and calibration cycles are factored in.
Identify which of your products fall under the battery passport requirement: traction batteries (EV), LMT batteries (e-bikes, e-scooters), and industrial batteries with a capacity of more than 2 kWh. The regulation is not retroactive — it applies only to batteries newly placed on the market from the effective date onward.
Analyze your current bolted joint documentation: Are torque, angle of rotation, timestamp, and tool ID automatically recorded for each fastening? Is the data archived by component and retrievable in an audit-ready format?
Ensure that all fastening tools in use are calibrated in accordance with DAkkS standards and that calibration cycles are documented. Only calibrated tools deliver valid measurement data for the battery passport.
Determine how fastening data from assembly will be transferred to your MES, ERP, or a battery passport data system. OPERATOR® EST01 with PLC communication and Open Protocol offers a direct interface for this purpose.
Start with a pilot line to test and validate the entire data flow — from fastening through to archiving. Allow sufficient time for system testing and employee training.
Conclusion: Documentation Is Not a Side Note - It Is Part of the Product
The digital battery passport changes how manufacturing data is evaluated. What was previously relevant internally for quality assurance and recall management becomes, from 2027 onward, an official component of the product dataset - retrievable via QR code and auditable by market surveillance authorities.
For fastening assembly, this means: end-to-end, automatic capture of torque, angle of rotation, timestamps, and tool ID is no longer a nice-to-have. It is the prerequisite for a battery to be placed on the market at all.
OPERATOR® from GWK delivers this data - precisely, automatically, and ready for system integration. Made in Germany, backed by 30 years of measurement technology expertise.
