The Role of Product Traceability and Digital Product Passport in PCB Manufacturing

Ensure transparency and accountability at every stage of PCB manufacturing and discover how traceability improves quality control and compliance with digital product passports.

Product Traceability and Digital Product Passport for PCB Manufacturing

An electronics manufacturer supplying PCB products for the automotive industry—specifically for electric vehicles (EVs)—wanted to implement end-to-end serialised product traceability for their PCBs. These PCBs underwent automated and manual processes, making traceability complex, especially in a factory with newer and older machines. The Manufacturing process involved over 800 quality check parameters per PCB, manual rework and rejection reasons, and real-time operations producing millions of units monthly. The traditional PLM/MES systems struggled to handle this dynamic material flow and operational complexity.

Key Issues
  • Complex, multistep production processes
  • Over 100 process types with multiple data formats
  • Serialised production of 1 million+ units per factory, per month
  • 800+ quality parameters across various stages
Challenges

The critical challenge was achieving complete product traceability across multiple stages, machines, and automated and manual processes. Traditional systems made it impossible to track data from various sources such as cameras, lasers, SMT, THT, quality checks, and manual stations while ensuring real-time insights for millions of units. Additionally, they wanted to provide this traceability information to their customers through a Digital Product Passport (DPP), enabling flexible access to production data and insights.

Solution

IndustryApps implemented a solution using its DataSpace with MES Lite, enabling real-time digital twin creation for every PCB in production. This solution connected data from diverse sources across the factory—including automated stations, manual operations, and quality checks—bringing it into a single, standardised digital twin model. The solution includes the following components:

Impact

  • Achieved serialised, real-time traceability for every PCB across all production stages, regardless of machine type or process.
  • Streamlined quality control, with all 800+ parameters tracked automatically and in real-time.
  • Enhanced customer transparency, with access to detailed production data via the Digital Product Passport, ensuring compliance with industry standards
  • The scalable, future-proof solution is able to handle millions of units monthly while supporting flexible process management.

By using IndustryApps DataSpace and Digital Twin technology, the manufacturer gained full visibility and control over their production processes, ensuring that their PCBs met the highest quality standards and regulatory requirements. The Digital Product Passport further elevated customer confidence by providing transparent and secure access to product data Throughout the lifecycle.

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Digital Twins per Month

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Customer Satisfaction Rate

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is industrial data management, and why is it important?

Industrial data management involves collecting, integrating, and analysing data from various sources within an industrial environment. It is crucial for enhancing operational efficiency, making informed decisions, and driving innovation through real-time insights and predictive analytics.

Industrial data management involves collecting, integrating, and analysing data from various sources within an industrial environment. It is crucial for enhancing operational efficiency, making informed decisions, and driving innovation through real-time insights and predictive analytics.

How does an AI co-pilot improve industrial operations?

An AI co-pilot provides real-time insights and recommendations, helping operators optimize processes, reduce downtime, and improve productivity by leveraging advanced analytics and machine learning algorithms.

An AI co-pilot provides real-time insights and recommendations, helping operators optimize processes, reduce downtime, and improve productivity by leveraging advanced analytics and machine learning algorithms.

What’s the difference between cloud and on-premise solutions?

Cloud solutions are hosted online, offering flexibility and remote access. On-premise solutions are installed locally on your hardware, providing greater control and security.

 Cloud solutions are hosted online, offering flexibility and remote access. On-premise solutions are installed locally on your hardware, providing greater control and security.

How secure is your industrial automation software?

Our software includes robust security measures such as data encryption, regular updates, and compliance with industry standards to protect your data.

 Our software includes robust security measures such as data encryption, regular updates, and compliance with industry standards to protect your data.

Can your software integrate with my current systems?

Yes, our solutions are designed for seamless integration with ERP, MES, IIOT, and other IT systems, ensuring smooth operation across all platforms.

 Yes, our solutions are designed for seamless integration with ERP, MES, IIOT, and other IT systems, ensuring smooth operation across all platforms.

How long does it take to implement your solutions?

Implementation times vary based on the project’s complexity, but our streamlined process ensures you’re up and running quickly, minimizing downtime and disruption.

 Implementation times vary based on the project’s complexity, but our streamlined process ensures you’re up and running quickly, minimizing downtime and disruption.

What benefits does AI-supported data mapping provide?

AI-supported data mapping ensures consistency and accuracy across all data sources, enhancing data quality and facilitating advanced analytics and AI applications.

AI-supported data mapping ensures consistency and accuracy across all data sources, enhancing data quality and facilitating advanced analytics and AI applications.

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