Hashing it out: Unravelling the threads of data in digital manufacturing

This work explores the concept of “digital thread” in supply chain integration, which pertains to traceable data pathways associated with a product's lifecycle. The importance of data integrity and traceability in metrology is highlighted, emphasising the crucial role they play in maintaining product quality and safety. The Connected Model-Based Enterprise Environment testbed aims to establish a new standard for interpreting engineering data to enhance supply chain integration. It serves to demonstrate the practical application of hashing algorithms for enhancing data traceability. Unique hash values are generated by analysing file contents, serving as a digital identifier to confirm file integrity. The potential of this method for future automation and application in different settings is also explored, offering possibilities for enhanced and dependable data management. It presents a new method for improving data traceability in metrology, contributes to current research on digital transformation, and tackles issues related to data integrity and traceability.