Digital Thread Tracking for Production Traceability
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Solution Overview
Problem
In highly regulated industries such as aerospace and automotive, manufacturers face challenges in tracing production issues back to specific manufacturing runs due to a lack of precise visibility and documentation, leading to unnecessary recalls and increased costs, as time-sensitive and temperature-sensitive materials like carbon fiber reinforced polymers are difficult to track effectively.
Innovation Solution
A system that creates and stores electronic 'digital twins' of manufactured products, including detailed manufacturing data, which are searchable and linked through 'digital threads' to track raw materials, tools, personnel, and environmental conditions, using RFID tags and sensors to automatically record and update production records in real-time.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If manufacturers manually review documents to trace production issues, then they can identify specific manufacturing runs, but the process takes weeks and production continues using faulty components
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates digital twins (virtual copies) of physical products that contain complete manufacturing data. These digital replicas allow instant searching and tracing of production history without manually reviewing physical documents, resolving the contradiction between precise traceability and time consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces manual document review (mechanical process) with automated digital searching and data retrieval systems. The search interface allows users to query digital twins for specific manufacturing parameters, automatically returning results in seconds rather than weeks.
2Loss of information
If manufacturers lack precise visibility and documentation of production details, then they cannot track specific subcomponents or raw materials, but they must recall far more products than necessary
Solution Approach 1:
Digital twins create complete virtual replicas of products with embedded manufacturing information, eliminating information loss about subcomponents and raw materials. This enables precise identification of affected items during recalls, minimizing unnecessary product withdrawals.
Solution Approach 2:
The digital twin system serves multiple functions: it documents production details for quality control, enables traceability for recalls, and provides search capabilities for various manufacturing queries. This multi-functionality addresses information loss while preventing excessive recalls.
3Reliability
If manufacturers recall hundreds of thousands of units due to a component failure, then they limit the spread of defective products, but they suffer severe financial ramifications and reputation damage
Solution Approach 1:
By using digital twins to precisely identify affected products through searchable manufacturing data, manufacturers can limit recalls to only the necessary units. This maintains product quality control while minimizing the financial and reputational costs associated with large-scale recalls.
4Productivity
If time-sensitive and temperature-sensitive materials like carbon fiber reinforced polymers are not tracked effectively, then production efficiency decreases, but the materials may deteriorate and become unsafe for use
Solution Approach 1:
The system continuously monitors manufacturing parameters including temperature and time for sensitive materials, storing this data in digital twins. This feedback mechanism ensures materials remain within safe parameters while optimizing production efficiency through real-time tracking and alerting.
Data Source
AI summary
The invention discloses a computer-implemented method for tracking production in a production facility and for obtaining searchable production records. The method comprises providing a production site with communication access to a central server configured to:a) receive status and location data pertaining to tagged central key assets of said production facility, from tracking readers located in the production facility.b) record the status and location data in a searchable database of digital threads. The digital threads describe time-related status and information particulars related to production of a manufactured product.c) allow execution of a search to detect the particulars of the digital threads.The invention also describes a system for execution of the method.