Simulation-based Evaluation of the Impact of using Blockchain for Traceability in an Industry 4.0 Factory

• Traceability is mandatory to ensure transparency in Industry 4.0 factories • Blockchain-based traceability improves integrity while preserving transparency • Manufacturers need to know energy and storage costs associated with blockchain • Collaborative discrete-event modeling allows realistic factory simulations • Appropriate strategies can reduce the impact of blockchain-based traceability Traceability is transversal to the various pillars of industry 4.0, as it provides essential information to plant operation management, and facilitates post-production audits. Recently, blockchain technology has been widely explored as a solution to enhance the immutability and transparency of industrial traceability systems, thereby increasing trust among stakeholders. However, most existing studies evaluate the performance of blockchain itself rather than its impact on the industrial system. In this work, we propose a discrete-event modeling and collaborative approach that can be adapted to any industrial production plant. Through a case study, we demonstrate how it can be used to analyze the impact of a recently proposed blockchain-based traceability solution in terms of various custom metrics, such as storage requirements, energy consumption and even environmental impact. The parameters used in the simulator for the blockchain component were obtained through a real implementation with Multichain. Moreover, it enables further evaluations by integrating additional factory data and parameters whose impact on blockchain deployment would otherwise require long and costly prototyping in a real implementation.