nir-vana innovation network

Access to advanced digital apps to improve supply chain management, especially in manufacturing SMEs are still a challenge regarding operability and costs for technology providers and end-users. There are many RFID solution providers available in the marketplace, but an RFID-based driven by blockchain technology commercial solution is in the state of the art of disruptive technologies for supply chain management applications. In particular, Blockchain technology reduces the role of intermediaries whose servers are vulnerable to crashing, fraud, and hacks. It is primarily a distributed ledger system that maintains the integrity of data transactions and enhances the traceability of production and supply chain activities. When applying blockchain technology, trust is embedded in and programmed into the technological platform. This has facilitated the creation and movement of digital assets. It also encompasses a smart contract module that stores negotiated terms and verifies the outcomes against the agreed conditions. This serves to increase transparency along supply chains by reducing the role of intermediaries. Moreover, the system transactions are continuously verified, authorized, and stored by the digital blocks and connected with the preceding ones, forming a chain that facilitates material and information transparency. The adoption of the Industrial Internet of Things and Cyber-Physical Systems solutions for smart connectivity represents an opportunity to migrate the current manual documentation and silo-based information sharing from the shop floor operation to a fully connected factory to improve data transparency, performance, traceability, incomes, competitiveness and work force engagement in the post-pandemic years. RFID-based solutions driven by blockchain technology help to manage the complexities of manufacturing value chains, establishing transparency, traceability, security, and trust in the manufacturing industry. A transparent system traces the origins of all resources, including raw materials, processes, operators, and equipment used during the manufacturing process. That allows stakeholders internally and externally to have information and identify the product’s origin, transportation, life cycle, and sustainability. Meanwhile, traceability is another important component highly enforced by authorities to ensure safety, reliability, and consumer rights, offering access to product-related information with the use of disruptive IoT and connected factory solutions. Eventually, supply chains begin to focus on knowledge and communication components, rather than material characteristics. The decentralization attributed by the Blockchain facilitates the distribution of the same information across the whole network as no single node can control the transaction. The structure has permanent time stamps and prevents any possible attempts of information modification or adulteration, without the approval of all stakeholders, thus, driving a collective responsibility to ensure data safety and reliability. Another relevant aspect of the project value proposition is to develop the proper and easy-to-deploy technology to facilitate the deployment of safety and trusted data collection channels in manufacturing SMEs. Currently, the spanish company is looking for companies for the creation of joint venture agreement to test a wireless IoT prototype for product traceability, transparency & trust, using RFID-based tracking system driven by blockchain application to create a secure and trusted data-driven channel from the factory shop floor to XYMVIEW cloud-based as a service platform.