Project i-TRACE was initiated by the rail industry and the ARA to digitise inventory management, automate all steps in the supply chain and provide critical information throughout the life cycle of a product, part or component using ISO certified GS1 global data standards. It was a response to addressing the manual, resource hungry, error prone and inefficient processes in the rail industry supply chain.
Project iTRACE standards provide a common and consistent digital “language” to be used between stakeholders in the rail supply chain. It sets a digital foundation for the future of rail.
iTRACE provides a range of benefits:
- effectively track and trace all parts, components, and assets – a demonstrated 50% cost savings in data collection.
- Manufacturers will have a common, agreed industry standard on how to identify, code and tag their materials – 80% of rail operators and manufacturers today are not confident in the accuracy of their master data.
- be better placed to capture and digitally record accurate maintenance history of assets to both operators and asset owners.
- Lower costs – Project i-TRACE, as a digital process has shown to:
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- Remove low value, high-cost manual processes – Identifying and registering part materials and serial numbers is up to 10 times faster.
- Simplify and improve traceability of managed goods receipt, warranty claims, advanced warehousing processes and transport management processes.
- Improve capex efficiency – install and replace components faster by removing bottlenecks in the maintenance process.
- Monitor progress with real-time project tracking.
- Significantly increase the reliability of parts and component configuration management installed on rolling stock – 20% reduction in stock levels.
View the Executive Summary Document
Are you on track?
Participating organisations have been working closely with the project to update their processes as part of Project i-Trace. In 2021, we are asking you if your organisation is on track? Find out about the benefits others in the industry are realising from the project in the video below.