The Recall That Needed Data (No Traceability)
We shipped a product. A customer found a bad part (a batch was bad). We needed to know: which products (serials) were in the bad batch? Which machines made them? Which operators? We had no traceability (the parts were numbered, but the data wasn’t linked). We spent days (manually) tracing (from the shipping records, back to the production). The problem: no traceability system (the data wasn’t collected and linked). We added a traceability system (every part has a serial, and the data — machine, time, operator, test results — is logged). Next time, we pull the bad serial (and know which parts are affected) in minutes. The mistake was not having traceability (the recall was slow and costly).
Traceability system links the part to its data. This article covers the design.
The Traceability
Every part has a serial (a barcode, or a QR code, article 196). As the part moves through the machines (assembly, test, packing), the system logs the data:
- The machine: Which machine made the part?
- The time: When was it made?
- The operator: Who ran it?
- The test results: Did it pass the test? (e.g., the press force, article 194?)
Step 1: The Serial (Barcode/QR)
Every part gets a serial (a barcode, printed by the labeling machine, article 196). The serial is unique (one part, one serial). The part’s serial is scanned (at each machine). The data is linked (to the serial).
The traceability rule: Every part has a serial, and the data (machine, time, operator, test) is logged to the serial. The recall that needed data had no traceability. Add a serial (barcode). Log the data. Next time, pull the bad serial (and know the affected parts).
Step 2: The Data Logger
The system (a database, or a server) stores the data. Each machine logs (to the server): the serial, the time, the test results. The data is queryable (by serial, by machine, by date). For a recall, query the bad batch (and find the affected serials).
Step 3: The Test Results (Article 194)
The test (e.g., the press force, article 194) is logged (to the serial). The press force (the curve, article 194) is saved. If a part fails (the curve is out of spec), the serial is rejected (not shipped). The good parts (in spec) pass (and their data is logged).
Step 4: The Shipping (Article 198)
The serial is scanned at shipping (to the customer). The customer’s order is linked to the serials (which parts are in the box). If the customer reports a bad part (by serial), we know which batch (and which other customers got the same batch).
| Data | Logged |
|---|---|
| Serial (barcode) | Unique (one part) |
| Machine | Which machine? |
| Time | When made? |
| Test result | Pass/fail (article 194?) |
| Customer | Who got it? (Article 198?) |
A Traceability Checklist
- Does every part have a serial? (Barcode?)
- Is the serial scanned at each machine?
- Is the data logged? (Machine? Time?)
- Are the test results logged? (Article 194?)
- Is the shipping linked? (Customer?)
- Can you query by serial? (Database?)
- Can you find the affected batch? (Recall?)
- Is the data secure? (Backup?)
- Is the retention long enough? (Years?)
- Is the operator trained? (Scan?)
The Bottom Line
Traceability system links the part to its data. The recall that needed data had no traceability. Add a serial (barcode). Log the data. The recall that was fast wasn’t the cheapest system — it had traceability.
