What Is VDI 2770? Standard for Manufacturer Documentation

VDI 2770 is a guideline from the Association of German Engineers (VDI) that defines minimum requirements for digital manufacturer documentation in the process industry. The VDI 2770 standard describes how equipment manufacturers should classify, describe and package documents such as datasheets, certificates, drawings and operating manuals, so that operators and EPC contractors can receive and process them automatically.

Part 1 of VDI 2770, Operation of process engineering plants – Minimum requirements for digital manufacturer information for the process industry – Fundamentals, was published in 2020. It was developed with operators, manufacturers and industry associations including NAMUR, ZVEI and VDMA.

Why VDI 2770 matters for capital projects

Every procured equipment item comes with documentation. On a large project, that means tens of thousands of files from hundreds of suppliers. Without a common format, each manufacturer delivers in its own structure, with its own file names and its own definition of a «datasheet». Receiving teams then spend weeks classifying, renaming and checking documents before they can be used.

VDI 2770 replaces this manual effort with one agreed way of delivering manufacturer documentation, so documents can be imported, indexed and linked without being opened one by one.

VDI 2770 document classes, metadata and container

The guideline is built on three elements:

1. VDI 2770 document classes – every document is assigned to a defined class based on IEC 61355, for example certificates, technical specifications, drawings or operating instructions. The receiver knows what each document is without opening it.
2. VDI 2770 metadata – each document carries a machine-readable metadata file that identifies the document, its version and the product it belongs to, including manufacturer, product designation and, where relevant, serial number.
3. VDI 2770 container – documents and metadata are delivered together in a defined, ZIP-based package, with the documents in long-term readable formats such as PDF/A.

VDI 2770 and the Asset Administration Shell (AAS)

VDI 2770 is the basis for the handover documentation submodel of the Asset Administration Shell (AAS). This means manufacturer documentation can travel as part of a product's digital twin rather than as a separate delivery, and it connects VDI 2770 to wider industry initiatives such as the Digital Product Passport (DPP).

VDI 2770 vs CFIHOS

VDI 2770 and CFIHOS solve different parts of the same problem:

• VDI 2770 (VDI, Germany) defines how a manufacturer packages its documentation: document classes, metadata and container format. It is mainly used by equipment manufacturers and suppliers.
• CFIHOS (IOGP / JIP36) defines what information an operator requires at handover: document types, equipment classes, attributes and tags. It is mainly used by owner/operators and EPC contractors.

A project can use CFIHOS to specify its information requirements and accept VDI 2770 packages from manufacturers that already deliver in that format.

Benefits of VDI 2770

• Owner/operators receive manufacturer documentation that can be imported and indexed automatically
• EPC contractors spend less time checking and classifying supplier documents
• Manufacturers prepare documentation once, in one format, for every customer that accepts the standard

How Sharecat supports VDI 2770

Sharecat supports structured information requirements such as CFIHOS and VDI 2770 when collecting manufacturer documentation. Manufacturers and suppliers can deliver documents together with Asset Administration Shell (AAS) files, and each delivery is checked against the project's requirements before it is accepted. Learn more about Sharecat's supplier information management.

This means VDI 2770 documentation does not end up as another set of files on a project share. Each document is connected to the equipment it describes and carried through to the document handover package and into operations.

Frequently asked questions about VDI 2770

What is VDI 2770?
VDI 2770 is a German guideline that defines minimum requirements for digital manufacturer documentation in the process industry, covering document classes, metadata and a common container format.

Is VDI 2770 mandatory?
No. VDI 2770 is a guideline, not a regulation. Operators can require it in contracts, and many process-industry manufacturers support it voluntarily.

What is a VDI 2770 container?
A VDI 2770 container is a ZIP-based package that holds the manufacturer's documents together with their machine-readable metadata.

How does VDI 2770 relate to the Asset Administration Shell?
The AAS submodel for handover documentation is based on VDI 2770, so VDI 2770 documentation can be delivered as part of a product's AAS.

Does VDI 2770 replace CFIHOS?
No. CFIHOS defines what information an operator requires, while VDI 2770 defines how a manufacturer packages its documentation. The two can be used together.

Related concepts

• Asset Administration Shell (AAS)
• CFIHOS
• Vendor Document Requirements List (VDRL)
• Document Handover Package
• Digital Product Passport (DPP)

Further reading: Digital Product Passport in Practice: Building the Data Foundation for Industrial Equipment