Improve aerospace traceability with digital documentation tools, mobile data capture, and audit-ready records.
When something goes wrong with an aircraft, the damaged parts tell only half the story. To get the full picture, investigators need to review the history behind the parts in question.
When a UPS cargo aircraft lost an engine and crashed in Louisville in early November, the investigating teams of the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) moved straight to the maintenance logs, inspection reports, and work orders tied to the engine and its related components. The preliminary NTSB report found fatigue cracks and stress failure in the engine pylon’s aft mount. Checking the aircraft’s history, they also noted recent maintenance that grounded the plane for six weeks.
When a serious failure happens (as what happened in Louisville, as well as the Boeing 737 crisis of 2018 and 2019), investigators check what the records say about the part’s recent condition and the work done to it. Regulators verify whether the involved parties followed specific inspection protocols and paperwork. What’s on paper should reflect what happened during finishing, coating, testing, or maintenance.
For many companies in the aerospace industry, rich traceability data is a constant challenge. Manufacturers and MRO (Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul) teams that supply parts to companies like Lockheed Martin, Boeing, and Raytheon need to provide complete, reliable traceability. This should cover from the time the raw materials arrive to when the finished product leaves the facility.
The volume and rigor of the supply chain are too much for traditional systems to handle. To meet expectations, manufacturers must maintain a reliable digital system to keep everything organized.
Why Traceability Pressure Is Rising
There are several factors that drive increasing pressure for traceability:
Expanding Fleets
Global aerospace fleets are expanding, and operators keep aircraft in service for longer. That translates to more parts to document. If an operation has been going on for decades, the maintenance records add up.
Regulatory Changes
Regulatory bodies are also becoming more strict with documentation. The FAA, DoD, and NADCAP all have rigorous requirements. In Europe, Part 145 rules push for e-signatures, full audit trails, and a stable system for digital recordkeeping. These changes help reduce lost travelers and mismatched signatures and provide clearer information that is not as accessible with manual systems.
Focus on Quality
Also, customer scorecards focus on the documentation’s quality, timeliness, and completeness. The largest customers have their own traceability tests that manufacturers need to pass.
Why Traditional Methods Fall Short
Even with the added pressure, many aerospace workflows still rely heavily on paper travelers and other traditional systems. A traveler can go missing or come back late as teams move through maintenance. As tight as schedules are in the industry, a missing traveler will have a domino effect on the entire line, such as stalled queues and certification delays.
Lot-level documentation also has gaps in terms of traceability. Lot numbers and rework notes are often handwritten. Should an accident occur, investigators would have to sift through entire binders of paperwork to piece together a complete history.
Non-destructive testing adds another layer. NDT results are stored in separate spreadsheets and logs. An audit becomes a full-time, time-consuming project when photos and reports need to be retrieved in different places. The same is true for certification packages.
Digital Traveler for Richer Traceability Data
An alternative to all these would be a digital version of the paper traveler, with richer, more complete data. Each record will include the following:
- Lot and serial numbers
- Operator identity and signatures
- Time and location stamps
- Photos or videos of surface conditions, repairs, or damage
- Links to tooling and equipment calibration records
- Additional notes
Industry trends continue to move this way, with teams beginning to use digital product passports to track each part or product’s full history. Airlines are also increasingly using electronic records for airworthiness and maintenance verification.
Use of Mobile Data Capture
Smartphones, tablets, and apps play a large role in new digital documentation and instruction systems. Through an app, a technician can scan a component’s barcode or QR code, and the app will display the correct instructions for that part.
Mobile apps will allow real-time documentation of work through photos and videos. Also, if maintenance work happens remotely, technicians can verify the site’s location via GPS tags.
Automating Compliance and Audit Readiness
Digital inspection tools also make regulatory compliance easier. These apps have a checklist feature to make sure there’s no skipping of steps. The app saves the results instantly, along with signatures and timestamps. Should a customer or regulator ask for documentation, a manufacturer can produce a complete digital file instantly, complete with images, signatures, and notes.
Creating a Single View of Each Part
One crucial step for cleaner traceability is connecting the systems to the shop floor. Digital travelers and similar tools can directly link to ERP or MES software, so you enter the information just once. For suppliers to companies like Lockheed Martin, Boeing, and Raytheon, this consistency makes it easier to provide certification packages and supporting documents.
A Practical Path Toward Better Evidence and Faster Answers
The incident in Louisville shows how crucial documentation is when safety concerns arise. For suppliers, dependable systems for traceability are more essential than ever.
For suppliers and manufacturers, Alpha Software is an affordable option to reach the industry standard for traceability. Enjoy mobile data capture, custom digital travelers, and seamless integration into your existing systems.
Maintain strong relationships with your partners. If your team is looking to modernize traceability without disrupting core operations, Alpha Software provides the tools to get there. It’s built for the pace and rigor of today’s aerospace environment.
How Alpha Software Helps Aerospace Teams Modernize Traceability
While crucial, building new systems understandably takes time and money. What Alpha Software offers is an affordable and practical alternative.
The advantages of Alpha Software include the following:
- Digital job travelers that fit your workflow
- Real-time photo, GPS, and signature capture
- Automatic audit trails
- Fast integration with ERP and MES systems
Collect, Analyze, and Act on Better Data
Today, investigators and regulators require better traceability and manufacturing data. If you’re still relying on paper checklists, siloed spreadsheets, or delayed batch reports, you’re risking audit failures, customer dissatisfaction, and lost contracts.
Alpha Software builds custom mobile and data-capture solutions around each manufacturer's unique processes. We deliver results in weeks, not months. This allows companies to easily digitize their materials cataloging and production processes and produce audit-ready records with little to no business disruption.
Let’s talk about how we can help you collect better data, analyze more thoroughly, and get rapid answers.
Book a 10-minute call with us, and we'll get started today.
We can often digitize the first paper form in hours and have it ready to test on your shop floor in days.
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