How FactorySense RFID Tracking Improved Composite Material Traceability and Production Visibility

Key Takeaways

• 99.8% material traceability achieved through automated RFID tracking, giving production teams real-time visibility into every composite material from receiving through shipment.
• 87% reduction in material search time by eliminating manual barcode scans and providing instant location data for work-in-progress inventory.
• 18% increase in production throughput by integrating FactorySense with existing ERP and MES systems, reducing manual data entry by 81% and enabling complete digital genealogy for every finished component.

Manufacturer Achieves 99.8% Material Traceability While Reducing Search Time by 87%

A leading North American manufacturer of advanced composite materials produces carbon fiber, fiberglass, and hybrid composite components for aerospace, automotive, defense, and industrial customers. With hundreds of work orders moving through cutting, layup, curing, machining, inspection, and shipping every week, maintaining complete material genealogy had become increasingly difficult.

As production volumes increased, manual barcode scanning and paper travelers created bottlenecks that slowed production and introduced opportunities for human error.

To support continued growth and satisfy strict customer traceability requirements, the manufacturer partnered with FactorySense to implement an RFID-based tracking solution that provided real-time visibility into every composite material throughout production.

Customer Snapshot

Industry: Advanced Composite Manufacturing

Products:

• Carbon Fiber Components
• Fiberglass Assemblies
• Prepreg Materials
• Aerospace Structural Parts

Solution

• FactorySense RFID Tracking Platform
• RFID Tags designed for composite manufacturing
• Fixed RFID Gateways
• Mobile RFID Readers
• Real-time Manufacturing Dashboard

The Challenge

Composite manufacturing demands complete traceability from raw material receipt through finished product shipment.

Every roll of prepreg, every cut kit, and every molded component must be associated with:

• Material certifications
• Batch numbers
• Environmental exposure history
• Cure cycles
• Quality inspections
• Operator actions
• Customer work orders

Unfortunately, much of this information was being captured manually. Operators frequently stopped production to scan barcodes or complete paperwork. Locating materials between departments often required physically searching multiple work areas. Production supervisors had limited visibility into work-in-progress inventory, making scheduling difficult and delaying customer updates.

As production expanded, these challenges became increasingly expensive. The manufacturer needed a solution that could automatically identify materials as they moved throughout the facility without adding work for operators.

The FactorySense Solution

FactorySense implemented a facility-wide RFID tracking solution designed specifically for the unique challenges of composite manufacturing. Every incoming roll of prepreg and raw composite material was assigned a durable RFID tag upon receipt. Each tag was digitally associated with critical production data, including supplier certifications, resin batch information, material lot numbers, expiration dates, and required storage conditions. This ensured complete traceability from the moment materials entered the facility.

As materials moved through production, strategically positioned RFID readers automatically captured their location and status without requiring manual barcode scans or operator intervention. Whether materials were moving from cold storage to cutting, through layup and curing, or into machining, inspection, and final shipping, every movement was recorded in real time. The automated tracking process eliminated missed scans and significantly reduced the time operators spent updating production records.

With FactorySense providing continuous visibility into work-in-progress inventory, production supervisors gained instant access to the location and status of every material and work order. Managers could quickly identify production bottlenecks, balance workloads between departments, and respond to schedule changes with accurate, real-time information instead of relying on manual updates or spreadsheets.

To complete the digital workflow, FactorySense integrated directly with the manufacturer's ERP and MES systems, automatically synchronizing production events and inventory transactions. The result was a complete digital genealogy for every finished composite component, giving quality teams immediate access to material history, process data, and inspection records while eliminating duplicate data entry across multiple business systems.

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Results

Within six months of implementation, the manufacturer achieved measurable improvements across production, quality, and inventory management.

Key Results

Factory supervisors estimated that operators recovered more than 2,700 production hours annually previously spent locating materials or updating production records. Quality engineers gained instant access to complete material genealogy for every finished component, dramatically reducing audit preparation time and simplifying customer compliance reporting.

Customer Perspective

"Before FactorySense, finding the location of a material roll or work order often meant walking the production floor or checking multiple spreadsheets. Now we know exactly where every material is, who last handled it, and what production stage it's in without interrupting production."

Operations Manager

Advanced Composite Manufacturer

Why RFID Was the Right Choice

Unlike barcode systems that require direct line-of-sight and manual scanning, RFID continuously captures material movement automatically. For composite manufacturers, this means:

• Less operator involvement
• Fewer missed transactions
• Improved inventory accuracy
• Complete material genealogy
• Faster production reporting
• Greater customer confidence

By automating data collection, FactorySense helped transform traceability from a manual process into an always-on production capability.

Business Impact

The RFID implementation delivered value well beyond inventory tracking. The manufacturer now uses FactorySense data to:

• Optimize production scheduling
• Reduce work-in-progress inventory
• Improve on-time delivery performance
• Simplify customer audits
• Strengthen regulatory compliance
• Support continuous improvement initiatives

Most importantly, management now has real-time visibility into production without disrupting manufacturing operations.

About FactorySense

FactorySense provides RFID-powered manufacturing execution and asset tracking solutions that deliver real-time visibility across production environments.

From raw material receipt to finished goods shipment, FactorySense helps manufacturers automate data collection, improve inventory accuracy, reduce manual processes, and achieve complete product traceability.

Learn more about:

• RFID Manufacturing Solutions
• Work-in-Progress Tracking
• Asset Tracking
• Digital Manufacturing Visibility
• Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES)

Frequently Asked Questions

Why use RFID instead of barcodes for composite manufacturing?

RFID does not require line-of-sight scanning. Materials can be automatically identified as they move throughout production, reducing manual labor while improving data accuracy.

Can RFID tags survive composite manufacturing environments?

Yes. Industrial RFID tags are available in designs capable of withstanding cold storage, autoclave processes, elevated temperatures, moisture, chemicals, and demanding manufacturing conditions. Tag selection depends on the specific process requirements.

Does FactorySense integrate with ERP or MES systems?

Yes. FactorySense integrates with leading ERP and MES platforms, enabling automatic synchronization of work orders, inventory records, production events, and quality data.

What information can be tracked?

FactorySense can associate RFID tags with:

• Material lots
• Supplier certifications
• Batch numbers
• Cure cycles
• Inspection records
• Operator history
• Equipment usage
• Production status
• Shipment records

How quickly can manufacturers see ROI?

Many manufacturers begin realizing measurable improvements within the first few months through reduced search time, improved inventory accuracy, decreased manual data entry, and faster production reporting.

Is RFID suitable for aerospace composite manufacturing?

Yes. RFID is widely used across aerospace and other highly regulated industries to improve traceability, automate production tracking, and maintain complete digital records for quality and compliance requirements.

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