The digital future of the steel industry

Digital Manufacturing Record Books (MRBs)

Manufacturing Record Books (MRBs) have long been an indispensable tool for steel manufacturers to maintain records of their production processes. Traditionally, MRBs were paper-based, requiring manual data entry and extensive paperwork. However, the emergence of digital MRBs offers significant advantages over their traditional counterparts. Digital manufacturing record books are sophisticated digital platforms that enable steel manufacturers to capture and organize production data in real-time.  Some benefits are for example increased efficiency, improved quality control, enhanced traceability, increased data security and cost saving. You can read more about these benefits by clicking here.

The adoption of digital manufacturing record books represents a significant step towards the digital transformation of the steel industry. As steel manufacturers see the potential benefits, more companies are implementing these digital solutions. The integration of digital manufacturing record books with other technologies, can further amplify their impact, enabling predictive maintenance, better quality control, and optimization of the use of resources. Moreover, continuous advancements in cloud computing, mobile accessibility, and data security will further enhance the functionalities and reliability of digital MRBs.  As a result, steel manufacturers can expect even bigger operational efficiencies and cost savings.

Combating counterfeit certificates

Counterfeit certificates represent a great challenge to the steel industry, eroding trust within the supply chain and potentially causing project failures. Recognizing the importance of tackling this issue, industry players are actively seeking ways to prevent the use of fake certificates. Some strategies: Thorough Customer Verification, Ensuring Accurate Tests and Treatments, Mill Verification, Tracing Heat Numbers, and Positive Material Identification (PMI) Testing. If you would like to know more about five common things that indicate that a certificate might be fake,  you can have a look at our blog post “5 ways to find out if an MTC is fake”.

However, thanks to digital transformation, the industry now has powerful tools to address this issue. By utilizing digital technologies and adopting robust systems, the steel industry can enhance certificate authentication, mitigate the risk of counterfeiting, and ensure the integrity of product certifications. For example, blockchain technology can provide an immutable and decentralized system for certificate verification. WIth this technology, it becomes impossible to tamper with or forge certificates. Blockchain technology allows stakeholders across the supply chain to access and verify certificates, ensuring transparency and trustworthiness. Moreover, this allows for automated checks of certificates, eliminating the need for manual checks and potential human errors.

In conclusion, the potential of digital transformation to revolutionize the steel industry  and ensure supply chain integrity are obvious. These developments can ensure efficiency, improve quality control, and establish a secure and trustworthy steel supply chain. In addition, implementing digital MRBs and digital certificates that rely on trustworthy data coming from each party across the supply chain, accurate estimates of the carbon footprint of products can be made.

To sum up, with constant innovation and collaboration, a more trustworthy steel industry can be achieved.