Potentials of Traceability Systems - A Cross-Industry Perspective

Recently, traceability systems have become more common, but their prevalence and design vary significantly depending on the industry. Different law and customer-based requirements for traceability systems have led to diverse standards. This contribution offers a framework to compare the state of traceability systems in different industries. A comparison of industry characteristics, motivations for traceability system implementation, common data management, and identification systems are offered. Upon that analysis, the potential of cross-industry traceability systems and approaches is identified. This extended usage of traceability systems supports the quality assurance, process management and counterfeit protection and thus expands customer value.