RFID-supported track and trace system for safety-critical body parts

Initial situation and goal

The use of HFQ (Hot Form Quench) technology for the production of safety-relevant body parts enables the fischer group to form aluminum alloys into complex geometries in just one production step. The combination of heat treatment and forming generates a high number of quality-relevant system parameters.

The introduction of a fully automated system for parts identification and tracking, which is specially tailored to the new production process, is intended to ensure complete transparency in the production and quality assurance process.

The transparent process: optimized production with GRAIDWARE® Track and Trace

When leaving the plant for annealing and forming, each component is given a serial number and labeled. All parameters generated in the system (pressure, temperature, etc.) are transferred to GRAIDWARE® Track and Trace via the OPC UA interface, verified and stored in the database. The data of the batch-based base material used is linked to the component, ensuring complete traceability.

All components are stored on RFID-tagged racks, with the component-transport rack assignment being automated via RFID antennas at the loading station. The positioning of the correct transport racks is monitored on the basis of a check of the rack-product assignment with the active production order. The integration of the ERP system was implemented in this project as a necessary prerequisite for the end-to-end digitalization of planning-production-quality assurance.
 As intermediate storage until the next production step (ageing furnace) is time-critical, the GRAIDWARE® Track and Trace system automatically monitors the duration of intermediate storage.

The GRAIDWARE® Track and Trace system uses RFID to identify the components on the rack and checks their storage time. If the storage time of the components is exceeded, GRAIDWARE® avoids further processing in the current production step.  All relevant data from the subsequent production steps (ageing, lasering) is also stored, evaluated and made available in tabular and graphical form using the methods and technologies described above.

Conclusion

Thanks to the RFID-supported GRAIDWARE® Track and Trace system from SIGMA, the fischer group and its customers have complete transparency of the production process for safety-relevant components. Individual part traceability back to the supplier batch is guaranteed and all relevant process parameters are recorded. This enables the fischer group to increase process and product quality and to use all process data for process and product development. The stored data still offers a great deal of potential for optimizing all processes and developing new products.