The Importance of Part Traceability
When members of the AtomTech team attended an aerospace conference in Mexico four years ago, we were told repeatedly that the aerospace industry didn’t need part traceability because they never let anything leave their facilities without proper quality. Jump forward a few years, and we know now that this was not the case. The industry did need part traceability, and that need was directly reflected in some of the titanium used in commercial Boeing and Airbus jets. An ongoing investigation by the Federal Aviation Administration found that the titanium was distributed with fake documentation, which potentially posed safety hazards.
Part Traceability and Automation
Considering dangerous cases such as the Alaska Airlines 737 Max that had a door plug blow off, there is absolutely no room for issues. Therefore, it is important to understand the role of part traceability. As Graham Jarvis explains for Aerospace Testing International, “Traceability is the capability to track and document the history, location, and usage of various components, materials and processes throughout the entire lifecycle of an aircraft or of an aerospace product.” But within that process, efficiency and transparency are critical. That’s where automation is helping.
With the Internet of Things (IoT) and AI already boosting aspects such as predictive maintenance, other technologies from digital twins to augmented reality to blockchain are also poised to further advance part traceability. However, in integrating them, cybersecurity will need to be a main priority. By balancing innovation with security, the focus is ensuring that the exchange of data is shielded from interference.
Part Traceability In Other Industries
Of course, adopting automation in part traceability should now be top of mind for the aerospace industry, but it will likely impact other industries as well. For instance, the FDA is putting together a Product Tracing System (PTS) that would “receive and analyze industry’s traceability data and more effectively and rapidly trace food within the United States,” according to the administration. In turn, the ultimate goal is to enhance outbreak responses.
Even more specifically, the FDA has also been working on traceability with seafood. In 2023, it issued a requirement for seafood supply chain entities to maintain traceability records, with a deadline of Jan. 20, 2026 to fulfill setting up these plans. As they do so, tech companies are hoping to step in. One particular contribution is FFID chips, which could be used to track individual species through the supply chain and payments. What will be a challenge in this is, and some other tech, is cost. However, it is clear that the future of part and product traceability lies in the evolution of automation and tech.
Sources:
● “Problematic titanium was found in Boeing and Airbus jets. The FAA is investigating how it got there” - Chris Isidore, CNN
https://edition.cnn.com/2024/06/14/business/faa-probe-counterfeit-titanium-boeing-airbus/index.html
● “End-to-end data traceability evolves” - Graham Jarvis, Aerospace Testing International
https://www.aerospacetestinginternational.com/features/end-to-end-data-traceability-evolves.html
● “Product Tracing System” - U.S. Food & Drug Administration
https://www.fda.gov/food/new-era-smarter-food-safety/product-tracing-system
● “Software enables tracing seafood from catch to sale” - Paul Molyneaux, National Fisherman
https://www.nationalfisherman.com/software-enables-tracing-seafood-from-catch-to-sale