Part Tracking

CATS can assess your particular process and tailor a part tracking system that matches your requirements.

Tracking parts and components through your production process has many benefits and generally involves three core components: 

• Unique Identification – Each part or product is assigned a unique identifier, such as a barcode, QR code, or RFID tag
• Data Capture – Scanners (handheld or stationary), RFID readers, IoT sensors, or other data collection devices capture information about the item’s movement and status at various points in the production line.
• Data Management and Analysis – The captured data is stored in a centralized database or a cloud-based software system (like an ERP or MES). Software tools then analyze this data and generate reports or real-time dashboards to provide actionable insights to stakeholders. 

A part tracking system gives you visibility of parts through your process, so what are the benefits?

• Full traceability – Every component is logged and tracked so you know exactly where it is on the production line, at what stage of the process it is and which actions are still to be carried out.
• Error proofing – Prevent operators moving forward with an incorrect part, wrong sequence order or missed process action. Provide local guidance to the operators and validate their work at each step.
• Quality Control – Records detailed data on inspection results, assembly details, and materials used, allowing you to quickly identify and isolate defective parts or batches and trace issues back to their origin.
• Real-time visibility – Supervisors can see the status of every job, every part, from a single HMI or workstation. That means quicker decisions and fewer bottlenecks.
• Routing Control – Part identification allows routing decisions to be made accurately throughout the manufacturing process. Parts can be sorted by specific criteria and buffered into conveyor lanes for production efficiency, they can be filtered and diverted to the required process areas.
• Inventory Management – Automates inventory control, helps forecast demand accurately, and prevents stock shortages or overstocking of parts and raw materials.
• Regulatory Compliance – Essential in highly regulated industries (e.g., automotive, aerospace, medical, food and beverage) for maintaining a robust audit trail and providing the necessary documentation for quality audits and government standards.
• Recall Management – In the event of a product recall, the system enables quick identification of affected products, limiting the scope of the recall and reducing costs and brand damage.
• Efficiency and Waste Reduction – Helps identify production bottlenecks and areas of waste (scrap, rework), allowing for process optimization and improved resource allocation.
• Maintenance Planning – Provides data and insights into equipment use and condition, which can be leveraged for proactive and predictive maintenance schedules, reducing unplanned downtime. 

Parts tracking helps reduce defects and rework, allows faster audits thereby protecting your quality and speeding up production throughput. We can carry out the assessment, electrical design, system build and site installation and all the necessary PLC/HMI programming in-house for you, so the system can be integrated into your plant with minimal disruption.

Contact CATS to find out how we can help with your parts tracking requirements