Entire life cycle monitored
SaSCh looks at both the technical requirements and specific potential applications. With funding from the Federal Ministry of Economics, experts from various sectors joined forces in November 2016 for the three-year research project. Together with the Bremen Institute for Production and Logistics (BIBA) at the University of Bremen, the standardization
organization GS1 Germany, the IT service provider queo and the logistics service provider BLG Logistics, Bosch is developing end-to-end monitoring of the quality of parts, components and products throughout their life cycle with a focus on the supply chain. The Bosch Connected Industry unit has already been working intensively on the connected supply chain for several years and will incorporate the findings into its own Nexeed Track and Trace solution once the project has been completed.

Transcontinental test track
BLG Logistics not only contributes its expertise on the user side, but also provides the infrastructure as a logistics service provider. A transcontinental supply chain for the automotive industry from Germany to the USA serves as a concrete use case. After shipping from the Bosch plant in Bühl, the containers are transported in a variety of ways: by truck on German roads, overseas by ship, then by train and truck through the USA to the BLG site in Vance, Alabama.

In order to make the data accessible and usable across companies, a common standard is needed for the exchange, i.e. the recording and retrieval of information. GS1 Germany has developed the Epcis standard for this purpose. This is a global ISO/IEC standard that can be used to record the tracking data of a delivery, for example. This is information on the following aspects: what, when, where and why. Until now, however, the integration of sensor data regarding the current condition of the goods has been missing. Accordingly, the relevant sensor-based quality data such as temperature and humidity are now being integrated into the standard.

Significant added value for all parties
The SaSCh project partners have already succeeded in significantly increasing transparency in the supply chain. This has a number of advantages for users: Firstly, they can check the current location and condition of a delivery at package level. On the other hand, quality problems that may arise during transportation can be identified at an early stage, countermeasures can be initiated and delays in production can be avoided. Suppliers can also play their part in ensuring smooth production by quickly dispatching replacement goods in the event of potential damage and taking agile countermeasures in the event of delays.

It is also easier to trace where the damage occurred, which makes it much easier to process claims. Warehousing can also be streamlined in the medium term thanks to the data. Manufacturers do not even have to purchase the technology required for tracking themselves and integrate it into their systems: They can obtain the sensor technology on a rental basis, including data interfaces and user interface, as an extended track and trace solution in a package. The sensors are attached to the goods and linked to the shipment information via an optical scan. The solution is therefore ready for use in a short space of time. With its end-to-end approach, the project is a beacon for the entire logistics market: with tracking at package level, SaSCh is taking the supply chain a big step further towards a networked future.

www.sasch-projekt.de

www.blg-logistics.com/de