5 benefits of a digital Manufacturing Record Book (MRB)

What is a Manufacturing Record Book?

A manufacturing record book (MRB) is a critical document that records every detail of the steel manufacturing process. It is a log that records each step of the process from raw material to the final product. The manufacturing record book is used as a reference for quality control, ensuring that the product meets the required specifications and identifying potential areas of improvements. It is also often used for auditing, as it serves as proof that the steel manufacturer has followed all the required procedures. Finally it is also essential for product traceability. The MRB helps to track the product from the raw material procurement stage to the final product shipment, making it easy to trace any issues back to their source.

What are the benefits of a digital MRB?

Traditional manufacturing record books are being replaced by digital ones. In this article, we will discuss the benefits of a digital manufacturing book over a traditional one, as they can provide several benefits that traditional MRB are lacking.

In this blog post, we’ll discuss 5 main advantages of digital MRBs.

1. Increased efficiency

Digital record keeping eliminates the need for manual data entry and paperwork, reducing the time required to complete record keeping tasks. A digital manufacturing book also provides immediate access to data, making it faster and easier to retrieve information. This can be particularly helpful during audits, inspections, or other quality control activities when time is of the essence. Thus, digital MRBs improve the overall speed and efficiency of the manufacturing process.

2. Improved Quality Control (QC)

Digital MRBs provide real-time data collection and analysis, allowing manufacturers to identify issues quickly and make necessary adjustments. This helps to ensure that product quality is consistently high and that defects are identified and corrected before they become larger problems. Moreover, with a traditional MRB, there is a higher likelihood of errors and omissions due to human error or incomplete data. However, with a digital MRB, the data is entered directly into the system, reducing the risk of mistakes and ensuring complete and accurate records.

3. Enhanced traceability

With a digital record book, manufacturers can track and trace products from raw materials to finished goods. This provides greater visibility into the supply chain, enabling manufacturers to identify potential bottlenecks and make informed decisions about production and inventory management.

4. Increased data security

Digital record keeping systems are more secure than traditional paper-based systems. Digital systems provide access controls, encryption, and backups, ensuring that sensitive information is protected and secure. This is particularly important for sensitive data such as trade secrets, proprietary information, and confidential customer data.

5. Cost savings

By eliminating the need for paper-based record keeping, digital systems can help reduce paper and printing costs, as well as the time and labor required for manual data entry. Additionally, digital systems can help manufacturers identify inefficiencies and areas for improvement, resulting in cost savings over time.

In conclusion, a digital manufacturing book offers many benefits over a traditional one. Efficiency, improved quality control, traceability, data security and cost-efficiency are just a few of the advantages that can help manufacturers optimize their operations.  As more and more manufacturing companies recognise the value of digital systems, we can expect to see continued growth in this area in the coming years.

SteelTrace

SteelTrace provides a digital platform that can be deployed throughout your supply chain. The platform offers real-time structured data from manufacturers to end-users, allowing you to access your product data in a secure and fully traceable manner.

If you would like more information about how SteelTrace can be used in your company, please request a product brochure below.