Digitalization of Material Traceability A System-Level Process Investigation

Sammanfattning

Material traceability is an important part of industrial manufacturing, especially in systems where quality, reliability, and documentation requirements are high. In many companies, traceability is often assumed to already exist because there are certificates, ERP systems, production documents, and established routines. However, during this study, it became clear that having information available does not automatically mean that traceability is fully controlled across the whole process. This thesis investigates material traceability in the cooling pipe production process at Hitachi Energy in Landskrona. The work focuses on how material identity is created, transferred, maintained, and sometimes weakened through the full process, starting from engineering and procurement and continuing through warehouse handling, production, and final documentation. The study was carried out using process mapping, on-site observations, and discussions with employees from different departments. By following the material physically and comparing it with system information and documentation, several traceability gaps became visible. The results show that the current system is not built around one continuous identity structure. Instead, traceability is often maintained through a combination of documents, SAP data, local routines, and human experience. The study also shows that some of the largest traceability challenges appear during transformation steps such as cutting, welding, leftover handling, and sub-supplier operations. In addition, differences between SAP transactions and the real physical material flow create situations where system visibility and physical reality do not fully match. Based on the findings, this thesis proposes a structured solution framework focused on defining a controlled material identity before introducing more digital tools. The proposed framework includes identity rules, process responsibilities, digital support functions, and future directions such as event-based traceability and sensor-supported tracking. The conclusion of the study is that the main challenge is not the lack of technology itself, but the lack of a consistent identity structure across the process. Therefore, the work argues that traceability should first be structurally defined, and only after that digitally expanded.