Identity and materials
Agree serial or batch identifiers, supplier lot references and how components are associated with finished units.
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Micraft MES provides real-time shop floor visibility, machine downtime tracking, and connected production execution for discrete and batch manufacturers.
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Production Traceability
Production records and part genealogy
Production Traceability for Parts and Batches
Production traceability connects material identifiers, manufacturing operations and inspection results to a part or batch. It helps teams investigate production history and identify potentially affected units when a material or process issue is found.
Define the record your factory needs
Operations and inspections
Define which station events, operator actions, test results and inspection records need to be linked to each identifier.
Investigation and retention
Specify forward and backward search requirements, authorized access, record retention and the evidence required by your customers.
Serial and batch identification
A serial identifies an individual unit; a batch groups units that share a production or material reference. Decide where individual identity is required and where a batch record is sufficient. Record links should explain which materials, operations and inspection results belong to each identifier.
Example: investigating an affected material batch
Consider a component batch produced from a supplier material lot. A backward investigation starts with the component identifier and reviews its material and operation records. A forward investigation starts with the supplier lot and identifies associated component batches. This is an explanatory workflow, not a customer result.
Rework, missing records and retention
Define how rework, repeat inspections, identifier corrections and missing scans will be recorded. Agree who can amend records, how changes are reviewed, how long evidence must be retained and how record completeness will be checked. Interfaces and exception handling need validation against the actual production line.
Connect traceability to daily execution
Review how identifiers move through manufacturing process tracking, how checks are recorded in quality inspection management, and how finished units are verified during packing and dispatch. Device interfaces, exception handling and data completeness should be validated against the actual line.
The automotive traceability case study describes a manufacturing use case. For your project, confirm the available identifiers, devices, integrations and reporting scope with the Micraft team.
Production traceability questions
For sector-specific context, review MES workflows for automotive component manufacturing.
What is production traceability?
Production traceability links a part or batch to the materials, operations and inspection records associated with its manufacture. The depth of the record depends on the identifiers and data captured at each stage.
What is the difference between forward and backward tracing?
Backward tracing starts with a finished part or batch and reviews its production history. Forward tracing starts with a material lot, operation or other shared input and identifies the units associated with it.
Does traceability guarantee audit compliance?
No. Traceability records can support an audit, but compliance depends on the applicable requirements, record completeness, controls and factory procedures. Agree the evidence and retention requirements before implementation.