Quick Tip: Lot Traceability

Lot Traceability

For manufacturers working in the aerospace and medical industries, traceability is very important. If an aerospace company manufactures even part of an airplane that is involved in a crash, special teams are deployed to track down every piece and, then, attempt to reconstruct the parts to determine the nature and scope of the malfunctions. The inability to track your products from inventory through the supply chain can make or break your company. In the case of failures, recalls, or warnings, it is important to have a process in place to determine what went wrong.

Is this you?

  • In the event of a recall, can you locate all pertinent information in a matter of minutes?

  • Have you implemented document controls to manage certifications from your suppliers?

  • Can you send a Certificate of Compliance to your customers?

A lot traceability system puts controls in place that allow you to track the origin and path of all parts. It keeps you covered in the event that something goes wrong. It allows you to keep track of:

  • What you sent to your customers

  • The number of each item that was purchased

  • All the raw materials used to create the product

Solution

In an ERP system, this process is automated through the use of lot numbers or serial numbers. The lot number identifies the constituent parts or ingredients, as well as labor and equipment records involved in the manufacturing a part. This allows you to use a barcoding (or scanning) system to collect your information for better quality control and inventory management. For example, document controls are set in place to record "certs" (or certifications) from your suppliers as they are received, which allows you to easily pass them on to your customer. A "C of C" or "Certificate of Compliance" provides traceability for each step of the production of your customer’s product. In the case of failure or recall, you are now able to:

  • Find the transaction and serial number of the part produced (and its components) within minutes

  • Trace what materials were used to make the part via CERTS from your suppliers

  • Recall lot numbers that were shipped to customers

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