Traceability allows manufacturing companies to manage the entire production chain efficiently and transparently .
It is necessary to make a distinction between traceability (tracking), i.e. monitoring the path of a production batch within the production chain from raw material to finished products , and tracing, which is instead backward reconstructs the entire story starting from the finished product.
In the case of traceability , each raw material used is identified upstream with an identification code and each production progress is recorded . The main purpose is to quickly trace the various stages of the production process when there are non-conformities in the quality of the product.
Instead, traceability is a reconstruction of the process that is based on data stored during production, transformation after transformation.
Blockchain and transparency
The blockchain is literally a chain of blocks of information , independent of each other, encrypted and linked to the previous and subsequent ones in a secure and immutable way.
The data is thus stored in a decentralized way, preventing alteration by hackers on the one hand, but also ensuring transparency and accuracy on the other. All blockchain changes can therefore be publicly accessible and verifiable by anyone.
Applications of blockchain in industry
There are many areas and processes for which blockchain systems can be implemented as a competitive advantage.
- Quality control , integrating blockchain systems in the verification phases and validation of products while they are still in production. Evaluating the quality of products and processes on the basis of the transparent and reliable data of the blockchain, allowing to trace the interactions of the product along the processes.
- Traceability, since unique identifiers can be assigned to your products which, thanks to the blockchain, allow buyers to verify their origin, thus increasing the perception and reputation of the brand .
- Supply chain, for a control of the whole chain by the various suppliers, in order to prevent the use of counterfeit products or fraud.
