Acoustic Material Fingerprinting for Supplier Batch Traceability
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Solution Overview
Problem
In complex manufacturing environments, accurately tracing raw materials to finished products is challenging due to the difficulty in tracking materials from different suppliers, especially in automotive manufacturing where quality control and product recalls require precise tracing of components throughout the manufacturing process.
Innovation Solution
A computer-implemented method and system using an array of transducers to generate unique fingerprints for material sheets based on attenuation measurements, creating batch and stamp masks that allow for accurate identification and tracing of materials from suppliers through various stages of processing, including raw material processing and final product assembly.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If batch numbering is used for material tracing, then the tracing system is simple to implement, but it does not provide accurate information about finished products post-sale
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses acoustic fingerprinting to create unique identification signatures for different material batches, analogous to color coding. Each material batch is characterized by its acoustic response properties (attenuation, velocity, impedance) which serve as a unique identifier, enabling precise traceability without complex physical tags or labels.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces traditional mechanical/batch numbering tracing systems with acoustic wave-based fingerprinting. Instead of relying on manual batch number tracking, the system uses acoustic transducers to measure and compare material response characteristics, providing automated, high-precision traceability throughout the manufacturing process.
2Device complexity
If traditional tracing methods are used in complex manufacturing environments, then the system complexity is low, but accurate tracing of materials from different suppliers becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the material tracing problem into distinct acoustic measurement components: attenuation characteristics, wave velocity, and acoustic impedance. By analyzing multiple independent acoustic parameters, the system creates a comprehensive fingerprint for each material batch, improving reliability of origin identification while keeping the overall system relatively simple.
Solution Approach 2:
The acoustic fingerprinting system serves multiple functions simultaneously: it identifies material origin, characterizes material properties, and provides quality assurance. This multi-functional approach enables accurate tracing of materials from different suppliers using a single unified system, rather than requiring separate tracing mechanisms for different materials or suppliers.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables precise tracking and identification of materials, facilitating quality control and product recalls by providing unique identifiers for each material batch, ensuring accurate tracing of components from suppliers through assembly and post-sale life cycles.
Implementation Method 1
Each first fingerprint in the plurality of first fingerprints represents a first attenuation measurement of each material sheet in the plurality of material sheets as captured by an array of transducers
Data Source
AI summary
Methods and systems for material identification include generating a plurality of first fingerprints for a plurality of material sheets supplied by a supplier at a first step of processing the plurality of material sheets. Each first fingerprint in the plurality of first fingerprints represents a first attenuation measurement of each material sheet in the plurality of material sheets as captured by an array of transducers. Further, the methods and systems include generating a batch mask relating to the first step of processing the plurality of material sheets and based on the plurality of first fingerprints. The batch mask represents a signal correlation of the plurality of first fingerprints that is unique to the plurality of material sheets supplied by the supplier. A target material can be identified using the batch mask.