A traceability proposal for industry 4.0

Abstract

This research examines traceability and its model in industry 4.0. Hence, this paper introduces the main design features of this model. The fourth industrial revolution is an environment that combines manufacturing with the Internet of Things and cyber-physical Systems. In such an environment, various sources (i.e., smart products, intelligent agents, and sensors) generate an increasing amount of data, which is essential for effective traceability. However, due to these heterogeneous sources, a traceability system should face the interoperability challenge and overcome the data integration issue. Moreover, the incorporation of this information in a traceability tool is motivated by the requirement to have access to a maximum amount of accurate product data. Thus, this article proposes to take advantage of industry 4.0 information. Also, the present study advocates that traceability should not only allow trace and track but also ensure product safety and quality. Accordingly, the proposal includes an intelligent traceability description, an ontology-based modeling, and a cloud-based application. This system provides users with a common knowledge base to access and represent data. Also, this model enables users to share and query remotely the traceable information using the cloud.