Wärtsilä has taken the next steps to enhance components traceability through digital identification. As a market forerunner Wärtsilä wants to provide service that meets the latest requirements for customers in marine and power industry. Also classification societies have requirements for the traceability of most critical components and these requirements are being tackled in various ways. Wärtsilä has now developed new digital identification technologies that clearly improve component traceability. A digital identification solution was piloted in 2014 and is now in the process of implementation. The solution is scheduled to be fully operational in 2015.
With this new step forward in traceability, customers in the marine and power industry will be able to verify the authenticity of their engine components by scanning a digital data matrix code. This will enhance product quality and increase product safety by preventing counterfeit products from being sold as genuine Wärtsilä components.
“As aerospace, defence and automotive industries are tightening their traceability standards to ensure asset integrity and safety, Wärtsilä is adopting a digital identification technology to control and monitor the reliability and efficiency of our products, ” says Michele Cafagna, General Manager, Product Data Management, from Wärtsilä. “Product safety is our first priority, and this new solution helps us in ensuring that our customers in the marine and power industry get the quality they have learned to expect from Wärtsilä.”
Wärtsilä has an extensive supplier network with different raw materials and components being provided by different companies around the world. With suppliers of critical components introducing the new digital marking and tracing system, this new solution will enable Wärtsilä to integrate key business processes across the supply chain. To increase customer and stakeholder value, Wärtsilä uses sophisticated information technology to control all possible events and factors that could disrupt the supply chain. This, in turn, will help customers to manage the life cycle of their engine and to ensure asset integrity. With the new identification codes, reordering of spare parts will become easier as well.
Easy identification with mobile application
The digital identification solution involves marking each critical part selected for tracing with a Unique Item Identifier (UII) which includes a data matrix code that can be read digitally. The codes are registered into the Wärtsilä ERP system when the parts are delivered to a Wärtsilä site, and then linked to the correct engines when put into the manufacturing process. Deliveries from the central spare parts warehouse are also tracked.
The tracking system also includes a mobile application for the scanning and identification of the data matrix, making component tracing easy and cost-efficient.
“As an industry leader in marine and power solutions, we are naturally keen to develop modern, efficient and practical solutions to continuously improve the quality of our offering and customer service, ” Michele Cafagna says.
As the new identification technology reduces piracy, helps Wärtsilä to keep track of components’ life cycle and reduces non-conformity costs, it supports Wärtsilä’s strategic growth and efficiency objectives.
Wärtsilä Services in brief
Wärtsilä Services creates lifecycle services for its customers, enhancing their business – whenever, wherever. We provide industry’s broadest range of services for both shipping and power generation. Our solutions range from spare parts and basic support to ensuring maximised lifetime, increased efficiency and guaranteed performance of customer’s equipment or installation – in a safe, reliable, and environmentally sustainable way.
Wärtsilä in brief
Wärtsilä is a global leader in complete lifecycle power solutions for the marine and energy markets. By emphasising technological innovation and total efficiency, Wärtsilä maximizes the environmental and economic performance of the vessels and power plants of its customers. In 2014, Wärtsilä’s net sales totalled EUR 4.8 billion with approximately 17, 700 employees. The company has operations in more than 200 locations in nearly 70 countries around the world. Wärtsilä is listed on the NASDAQ OMX Helsinki, Finland.
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