Introduction
In today’s complex manufacturing world, a single product can contain thousands of parts sourced from hundreds of different vendors. Supply Chain Traceability (SCM) is the ability to identify and track every component’s history, application, and location throughout the entire lifecycle.
For Digital Engineering, traceability isn’t just about logistics; it’s about knowing that the “Software Version X” or the “Alloy Grade Y” inside your product is exactly what the engineers specified, regardless of which supplier provided it.
The 3 Levels of Traceability in SCM
1. Upstream Traceability (Backwards)
The ability to trace a finished product back to its roots.
- Example: If a battery fails, can you find which mine produced the lithium used in that specific batch?
2. Internal Traceability (Inside the Plant)
Tracking the movement of parts within your own production and assembly lines.
- Example: Knowing exactly which technician installed a specific sensor and which calibration tool was used.
3. Downstream Traceability (Forwards)
Tracking where the finished products go after they leave the factory.
- Example: Identifying exactly which customers received a product from a defective lot to initiate a surgical (rather than mass) recall.
Why SCM Traceability is a Strategic Necessity
| Driver | Impact |
| Risk Mitigation | Quickly isolate defective batches, reducing the cost of recalls by up to 80%. |
| Regulatory Compliance | Meeting mandates like the Digital Product Passport (EU) or Conflict Minerals reporting. |
| Quality Assurance | Ensuring that “counterfeit” or sub-standard parts don’t enter your high-performance machines. |
| Sustainability | Verifying the “Green” claims of your suppliers to calculate an accurate LCA. |
Emerging Technologies Transforming SCM
The “Manual Logbook” is dead. SCM Traceability now relies on:
- Blockchain: Creating an unalterable record of every hand-off in the supply chain.
- IoT & Sensors: Real-time tracking of temperature, humidity, and location during transit for sensitive components.
- AI Analytics: Predicting which suppliers are at high risk of a “traceability break” based on historical performance data.
Integrating SCM Traceability into PLM
True Digital Engineering requires that your PLM/ALM system talks to your SCM data:
- Requirement-to-Source Mapping: Link a critical safety requirement to the specific supplier certified to provide that component.
- Change Management: If a supplier changes a sub-component, the PLM system should automatically trigger a “re-validation” process to ensure the digital thread remains intact.
How Visure Solutions Enables Supply Chain Integrity
Visure Requirements ALM Platform extends your engineering rigor to your entire supply chain:
- Supplier Portal & Collaboration: Allow suppliers to interact directly with the requirements that affect them, ensuring they are always building to the latest specification.
- Evidence Management: Store and link supplier certifications (ISO, RoHS, etc.) directly to the parts they provide, making audits seamless.
- End-to-End Traceability Matrix: Visure doesn’t just track code; it tracks the fulfillment of requirements. You can see the link from a customer need to the specific supplier part that satisfies it.
- Compliance Guardrails: Ensure that no product can be marked as “Ready for Ship” if the mandatory supplier documentation or traceability data is missing.
Conclusion: Visibility is Resilience
Supply Chain Traceability is the eyes and ears of a modern engineering firm. In an era of global volatility, knowing exactly what is in your product and where it came from is the difference between a resilient brand and a vulnerable one.
With Visure, your traceability doesn’t stop at your doorstep. We provide the ALM foundation to ensure that your digital thread is global, secure, and always verified.
Check out the 14-day free trial at Visure and experience how AI-driven change control can help you manage changes faster, safer, and with full audit readiness.
