Why Manufacturing Traceability is a Necessity

5 Compelling Arguments for a Manufacturing Traceability Solution -

In the manufacturing sector, the ability to track and trace parts and products throughout the production environment is becoming more critical than ever. The headline benefits of better monitoring and tracking are reduced waste and improved efficiency, lower production costs, and a corresponding increase in quality and consistency. Those are significant—and in some cases dramatic—advantages. But they are still only part of the story. In an evolving industry, new pressures, new expectations, and new and emerging technologies can quickly transform cutting-edge advances into the expected baseline standard.

In today’s manufacturing industry, here are four additional reasons why traceability is critical and an effective manufacturing traceability solution is no longer a luxury, but a necessity:

Customer demand

In today’s competitive market, manufacturing customers often demand traceability and verification systems from their suppliers to reduce risks and ensure the products they buy meet industry compliance standards—as well as their own quality specifications. The rise of Industry 4.0, the expansion of the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), and the proliferation of new digital manufacturing technologies has raised both expectations and standards. Manufacturers are increasingly expected to utilize component/part traceability with data threads and quality assurance. A growing number of OEM/customer requirements now include digital proof that a products were made to specifications. 

Compliance

Increasing industry compliance standards and fines for non-adherence in fields such as medical, aerospace and defense, automotive, food and beverage, and others are heightening the need for robust manufacturing traceability systems. The ability to provide verifiable compliance that parts and products meet regulatory guidelines in a range of different industries is always valuable, and in some cases absolutely essential.

Brand protection

Consumers have more choices and are more educated about those choices than at any time in history. With brand loyalty and consumer confidence becoming harder to earn and maintain, manufacturing traceability is becoming an increasingly valuable tool to protect brands and reputations. Being able to avoid or minimize recalls or warranty claims is critical in maintaining customer satisfaction and safety, and the ability to consistently ensure production and delivery of high-quality products creates critically important brand consistency.

Limit liability

The ability to extend sophisticated granular tracking capability through finished products provides valuable protection against inaccurate or fraudulent liability claims. What amounts to built-in warranty and recall protection, including 1D and 2D data to support safety and litigation claims.

At a time when far too many manufacturers are limiting their traceability potential due to reliance on manual processes and paper-tracking, or the lack of an integrated system to capture traceability data, an effective manufacturing traceability solution can be a difference-maker. Even those manufacturers that do have an existing traceability solution in place are prone to frustration with a system that isn’t well integrated with plant floor controllers and networks, or inflexible architecture that contributes to response delays. In contrast, a proven turnkey solution like the eFlex Track & Trace platform offers seamless, real-time connectivity, control and monitoring—enabling manufacturers to easily store, retrieve, and report part status and product genealogy. Unprecedented current and historical production visibility, ensuring first time quality scores and compliance remains exceptional.

To learn more about eFlex Systems Track & Trace software solution and how it can impact your operations, download the brochure below!