Case study · Manufacturing
Real-Time Traceability & Automated Quality Logging
A Tier-1 automotive and aerospace components supplier operating under strict OEM customer traceability and defect-prevention mandates.
Engagement record
- Client
- Automotive & aerospace components supplier
- Industry
- Manufacturing
- System
- Traceability & Quality Automation
- Timeline
- 21 Days
About this write-up
This case study describes the engagement as recorded. The client is not named; figures and outcomes are as reported by the client and have not been independently audited.
The challenge
A major automotive OEM gave the client a 30-day ultimatum to digitize floor workflows and provide part-by-part real-time traceability. Manual clipboard-to-Excel tracking created a 48-hour reporting blindspot, and paper quality logs delayed scrap root-cause analysis by up to two weeks.
Objectives
- Achieve real-time digital inventory and part traceability across all assembly lines.
- Automate scrap detection and line-side defect logging.
- Deploy live executive throughput and yield dashboards for OEM client audits.
- Meet the strict 30-day go-live implementation deadline.
Discovery
Floor audits revealed that the bottleneck was not machine throughput but reporting latency. Data collected on physical clipboards took two days to enter the ERP, hiding defect clusters until entire production runs were completed.
What was built
- Floor Data Pipeline. Clipboards replaced with ruggedized tablet apps with instant QR scanning triggering real-time database updates.
- Automated Quality Logging. Line-side inspection connected to edge servers, logging part dimensions and auto-rejecting defects in under 500ms.
- Executive Dashboard. Live operational cockpit showing line throughput, defect Pareto charts, and inventory buffer health.
- Rapid Deployment. Live in production by day 21, designed with simple intuitive touch interfaces requiring under two hours of worker training.
Outcomes as reported
Reported summary: $5M/Year OEM Contract Retained.
| Figure | What it refers to |
|---|---|
| 21 Days | From kickoff to full production deployment, beating the OEM deadline |
| 48h → <1s | Inventory and defect reporting latency |
| 5% → 0% | Manual data entry transcription error rate |
| $5M/year | Tier-1 OEM automotive contract retained |
Figures as reported in the engagement record; not independently audited.
Lessons
- Building simple touch-first tablet interfaces for shop-floor operators is essential for 100% adoption.
- Immediate visual feedback on defect logs prevents defect recurrence on subsequent production batches.
Next steps
Integrating computer vision cameras along conveyor lines for autonomous sub-millimeter surface defect detection.
Implementation questions
No. Implementation occurred in parallel with existing lines, transitioning each assembly work-cell during scheduled shift changes.
Edge servers maintain complete local logging and QR scanning offline, automatically reconciling with the central cloud ERP once restored.
Yes. Complete lot-level traceability reports, calibration logs, and defect Pareto charts export to PDF in one click.
Standard ruggedized Android tablets with built-in barcode scanners running Fortiv's lightweight progressive web client.
