TRACEABILITY
SOLUTIONS
FOR INDUSTRY
In recent years, following improvements in product quality and the growing demand for safe products from the market and certification bodies, traceability has become increasingly important and is now applied in virtually every industrial sector, such as the automotive, electronics, food, medical, and pharmaceutical industries.
Tracing industrial mass production requires the use of marking, identification, and subsequent re-reading systems on each component, scanning QR and Datamatrix codes at every critical point during automated production. This allows for the production process to be recorded in a centralized IT system, along with quality and compliance inspections, allowing for immediate action in the event of defects or non-conformities. Traceability is a key factor that makes a company more efficient and safe, and helps increase operating margins.
LG Automation is your qualified partner, able to design, supply, and act as a point of contact for the implementation of all technologies required for full, informed, and profitable factory traceability. We ensure the right technologies are provided for actual factory volumes, reducing production times and eliminating human errors—a crucial aspect in a context where operational efficiency is essential to competing in the global market.
WHAT IS ABOUT INDUSTRIAL TRACEABILITY
IEEE defines industrial traceability as the ability to automatically record, track, and monitor every stage of a product or component's life cycle, from raw material procurement through manufacturing, assembly, and distribution, all the way to the end customer. This complex process is typically implemented through a series of appropriate technologies applied throughout the product's life cycle and involves the systematic collection and management of information such as the origin of materials, production data, operators involved, quality controls performed, batch or serial numbers, and much more.
WHY FACTORY AUTOMATION AND TRACEABILITY ARE IMPORTANT TO IMPROVE YOUR MANUFACTURING PROCESS, REDUCE INEFFICIENCIES AND INCREASE THE SAFETY OF YOUR END PRODUCTS
Industrial traceability plays a crucial role for manufacturing companies, which can benefit from a range of advantages, including:
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INCREASED PRODUCT QUALITY along the entire supply chain, allowing for rapid tracing of any defective batches and intervention only on the affected parts without having to recall the entire production run.
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OPTIMIZATION OF PRODUCTION TIMES AND METHODS, resulting in increased profits and reduced costs and lead times, improving internal visibility and management of factory resources, with benefits for cash flow and production planning.
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INCREASE PRODUCT SAFETY and COMPLIANCE WITH REGULATIONS, such as ISO 9000, food, automotive, aerospace, military, energy, oil, and FMCG standards, fostering transparency and trust with customers and authorities.
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IMPROVED FACTORY EFFICIENCY and PERFECT AFTER-SALES TRACEABILITY because it allows you to quickly identify problematic or non-compliant components and take targeted action.
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SUPPORTS THE FIGHT AGAINST COUNTERFEITING and BRAND PROTECTION by facilitating product authenticity verification.
Industrial marking improves production traceability primarily by ensuring unique, permanent, and legible identification of each component or product. By applying indelibly printed identification codes such as batch numbers, serial numbers, or Datamatrix codes (e.g., laser marking or dot peening), it is possible to precisely trace all crucial information throughout the product life cycle: origin of raw materials, place and date of production, processing steps, and quality controls performed.
Furthermore, INDUSTRIAL MARKING is essential for true factory traceability with integrated production processes, as it enables:
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Automatic detection of the processing status of each component, which is then automatically processed in subsequent manufacturing phases, without handling costs and errors.
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Automation of the recording and monitoring process, integrating with management software (ERP, MES) and digital production control systems, facilitates real-time tracking and data collection without human error.
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Durability of the marking, always indelible and resistant to chemicals, wear, and time, ensures identification even in harsh environmental conditions or after prolonged use.
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The ability to perform precise quality controls, quickly identify defective batches or machines responsible for any anomalies, and intervene promptly and effectively to reduce waste and improve production efficiency. An important support in the fight against counterfeiting, increasing safety and protecting the company's reputation, thanks to the ability to distinguish authentic products from counterfeit ones.
Finally, the integration of marking technologies with the Internet of Things (IoT) and intelligent management systems enables the creation of an interconnected industrial ecosystem where marking acts as a link between the physical product and digital data, enhancing transparency, traceability, and efficient management of the production chain.
In short, industrial marking improves traceability by making each product uniquely and durably identifiable, automating the information flow in the production system, and effectively supporting quality control, corrective actions, and fraud prevention.
HOW TO ENGINEER AND POWER THE RIGHT AUTOMATIC TRACEABITY IN MANUFACTURING FACTORY FLOORS
The practical implementation of traceability occurs through the integration of various technologies and tools, including industrial marking, automatic production conformity checks applied to 100% of products implemented with automatic technologies and therefore not linked to the subjective interpretation of human operators.
First, it is necessary to permanently apply identification codes (batch numbers, serial numbers, Datamatrix, etc.) directly to the manufactured components using permanent marking technologies such as:
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Laser marking
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Micro-percussion marking
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Pad printing
These systems must be precise, reliable, and integrated into the production flow, capable of communicating with the plant's management software (ERP or MES).
Second, it is necessary to implement a Datamatrix, Product Code, and Serial Number reading system. Datamatrix codes are particularly compact 2D codes that can store a large amount of information in a small space and are more resistant to industrial conditions than traditional barcodes or QR codes.
Datamatrix are easily read by scanners and sensors (manual or automatic) during all production phases. Each scan records data that forms the product's "digital history," enabling detailed tracking. Codes like DataMatrix represent a globally recognized technological standard and are also preferred for digital traceability because they offer several features that make them particularly suitable for industrial and supply chain environments:
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COMPACTNESS AND HIGH DATA DENSITY IN A SMALL SPACE
DataMatrix is much smaller than codes like QR codes, allowing it to be printed even on very small or irregular surfaces, typical of industrial components or pharmaceuticals.
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DURABILITY AND RELIABILITY
DataMatrix codes are less prone to reading errors even when partially damaged or worn thanks to effective error correction capabilities, making them more reliable in industrial environments where wear or harsh conditions can compromise other types of codes.
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HIGH ENCRYPTION CAPABILITY FOR ESSENTIAL DATA
Datamatrix can contain critical traceability information such as lot numbers, expiration dates, serial numbers, and origins, essential for quality control, logistics management, and the fight against counterfeiting.
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OMNIDIRECTIONAL READING
DataMatrix and QR codes are readable from any angle (0-360°), facilitating rapid and automatic scanning in production and warehouse processes
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UNIVERSALLY RECOGNIZED, USED, AND APPROVED TECHNOLOGY IN THE INDUSTRIAL FIELD
DataMatrix codes are two-dimensional codes approved by international standards such as GS1 and are widely used in regulated industries such as pharmaceuticals, automotive, and aerospace, where accuracy and regulatory compliance are mandatory.
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ESSENTIAL TOOL FOR SERIALIZATION AND ANTI-COUNTERFEITING
The ability to create unique codes for individual products helps ensure authenticity, preventing fraud and counterfeiting, which is particularly important in the pharmaceutical and critical components industries.
DataMatrix is chosen for digital traceability because it combines small size, robust reading, ample capacity for specific data, industrial standards, and strong wear resistance - ideal characteristics for the permanent and precise identification of products in modern supply chains. Finally, it is essential to implement appropriate automatic quality controls.
Traceability is closely linked to quality control: every operation, test, inspection, or rework is recorded and associated with the product. In the event of non-compliance, the system instantly traces the responsible phase or machine, simplifying interventions and preventing widespread defects. This requirement is essential for modern production that complies with "Industry 4.0" standards.