Production Traceability

Trace every product and batch

Reconstruct the true flow of every part and batch across production. Ethon assigns data to each unit, traces it through every process step, and reveals deviations, rework loops, and bottlenecks from real production behavior.

Abstract oil painting of a factory floor with workers and a large yellow robotic arm Ethon AI process mining dashboard displaying production flow with machine stages and average times

Make material flow fully transparent. Expose inefficiencies and process deviations across the line.

The first workflow that turns event data into an end-to-end view of material flow.

01 Trace

Trace every part or batch

Ethon automatically traces every part or batch through all process steps. Each unit receives a complete, searchable history that shows where it came from, which equipment it passed through, and which conditions it experienced.

Part traceability timeline for Product A showing sequential machine steps with timestamps and OK or NOK status indicators
02 Unify

Unify production data from all sources

Data from Historians, MES, ERP, vision systems, and sensors are assigned to the correct part or batch. This creates a reliable, system-agnostic tracking system that consolidates all production information in one place.

Production data model showing a machine timeline with parameter values across passes, highlighting a NOK status event
03 Mine

Reconstruct actual process flow

Using process mining algorithms, Ethon reconstructs the actual flow of material through production — not the theoretical flowchart. Every routing choice, transition, branch, and rework loop is captured directly from real event data.

Process flow diagram showing machines A through D connected by directional arrows for product A
04 Analyze

Diagnose flow deviations

Aggregated across all units, the workflow highlights anomalies such as loops, backward movements, and skipped steps. Engineers can immediately see where the process deviates from the intended flow.

Production flow diagram for Product A with machines connected by arrows and a highlight panel filtering loops, backwards, skipping, and lateral flows
05 Debottleneck

Create digital value stream maps

Ethon creates digital value stream maps from real production behavior. They show throughput, waiting times, inventory, and constraints across the full flow — providing a data-driven foundation for debottlenecking.

Digital value stream map showing machines A, B, and C with cycle times and transfer durations

Frequently asked questions

What are typical use cases for production traceability?
Production traceability shows where each batch or part has been, what happened to it, and under which conditions it was processed. It can be used to track batches in process industries or trace individual parts through complex assembly lines. By unifying events from machines and systems into a single view, it makes material flow transparent across the line and reveals bottlenecks, rework loops, and deviations from the intended process.
What data does Ethon need to perform production traceablilty?
Ethon connects to existing factory data sources such as MES, PLCs, Historians, sensors, and IoT platforms. The more complete the process data, the more accurately material can be tracked. For example, timestamps and batch IDs help reconstruct the exact routing through production.
How much data is needed to get meaningful insights?
There’s no lower limit. As soon as production becomes complex enough that material flow can’t be easily understood at a glance, traceability starts to add value and reveal optimization opportunities.
Does Ethon require data scientists to use?
No. The workflow is no-code and designed for process experts and operators. That said, many data scientists use Ethon through our Jupyter notebook integration to pull results directly, compare them with custom analyses, and extend workflows using Python.
How long does implementation take?
Most deployments take about two weeks to connect data sources and start running analyses. Customers typically generate value within three months.

Stop chasing problems.
Stay in control.

Meet our engineers to explore how Ethon supports your operational excellence programs.