Traceability of products and processes is one of the main concerns of companies today. It is a system that allows the tracking of any of the actions that are vital for the operation of these, from their origin to their final destination, which guarantees that they comply with all the necessary requirements and standards and the possibility of tracing back to the origin of the life cycle.
Implementing a traceability system in a company becomes, therefore, an almost mandatory task to achieve excellence in our products and professional processes. In this article we are going to make a brief review on how to carry it out.
Remember that in MESbook we have the necessary MES software for factories so that you can do it easily, but here are some keys that you should take into account.
What is needed to implement a traceability system?
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Creating a traceability system in a company can be a costly and complicated process, however, it is extremely necessary to maintain effective control of the supply chain. In order to achieve this, it is necessary, first of all, that the company is willing to invest the necessary time and resources to carry out the project.
The initial steps should be aimed at identifying the critical areas of the supply chain where it is most important to implement the system. Clear objectives and goals must be established to measure success, so that the information obtained is useful for the future, and of course, the appropriate industrial technologies for the project, such as Mesbook, must be selected and implemented, and finally, the different departments and hierarchical levels of the company must be made aware of the need to implement a traceability method.
How is a traceability system implemented in a company?
Following the previous point, we are talking about a process that requires the coordination of several areas of the company.
Once the necessary aspects for its implementation have been completed, the scope of the system must be determined, i.e., which products, processes and/or services will be subject to traceability.
Next, the system manual will be prepared, which will contain all the data and information necessary for its correct operation. Once the manual has been finalized, the system will be definitively implemented, a stage in which the necessary tests will be carried out to guarantee its correct operation.
Types of corporate traceability
There are different types of enterprise traceability, depending on the level of detail required to track products and services:
- Backward traceability: this is the identification of products entering the company, such as raw materials or basic elements. This step allows us to check the status of material goods that do not depend on the company's own activity.
- Internal or process traceability: in this section we focus specifically on everything that happens within the usual processes of our company. Here we can analyze production ratios, success, times and any information related to our activity.
- Forward traceability: at this point, the work is focused on measuring the final path that our process follows, either in the delivery of products or in the execution of tasks, until it is considered finished. A very important step that allows us to close the circle.
Advantages of measuring the evolution of a product
Implementing a traceability system can provide numerous advantages to a company, since it allows us to know at all times what is happening with our processes. Some of the most important are:
- Improve quality: a traceability system allows companies to identify and correct problems in the manufacturing process as they occur, resulting in improved product quality.
- Increase efficiency: optimize the use of resources and reduce downtime in the production process. This translates into higher throughput and lower costs.
- To know the DNA of a final product by being able to identify the materials, processes, people, conditions and times through which a product has gone through the company's value chain.
- Meeting market demands: traceability enables companies to meet increasingly stringent market requirements, allowing them to remain competitive.
Examples of food traceability
One of the sectors where traceability is most important is undoubtedly the food industry. It is essential to ensure the safety and quality of food, as well as to reduce the risk of contamination and food-borne illnesses.There are several food traceability systems, but all must include a method for tracking product batches and components throughout the supply chain. The simplest systems may use barcodes or batch numbers to track products, while more advanced systems use technologies such as RFID and GPS.
Food traceability is mandatory in many countries, and companies that fail to comply can face fines or even temporary closures.
In any case, we remind you that MESbook's technological tools will allow you to undertake this type of actions and many more. Do not hesitate to contact us, we will be happy to show you everything we can do for your business.
Assistant to Commercial Management at MESbook
Arturo Torres
Industrial Engineer with more than 27 years of experience in different sectors as Director of Operations, Supply Chain, Processes and Quality. Lecturer in institutions such as the Chamber of Commerce and the General Council of Industrial Technical Engineering of Spain.
