Modena-based CRP, a CNC and 3D printing service to some exacting customers as well as a material vendor, has been an incredible innovator for many years.Whether it is creating 3D printed parts for the bridge manufacturing of sports cars, developing cutting-edge powder materials, or delivering on innovative parts, the firm has always looked ahead.Now it wants to assign a unique market to 3D printed parts with the launch of CRP UniqTrust, a new digital traceability system.
Franco Cevolini, CEO of CRP Group, says, “For over fifty-five years, we have been manufacturing components for those who cannot afford margins of error.CRP UniqTrust is the natural evolution of this culture: it is no longer enough for a part to be expertly made — it must be able to prove its own identity and conformity at any point in its life cycle.” For parts made with CRP’s Windform SLS 3D print service, you can verify authenticity, check when and out of what material a part has been made, and more through scanning it.The idea is that “digital identity gathers, in a single record, the information that accompanies the component throughout the supply chain — certificate of authenticity, order references, part code, material used — which can be enriched on request with customized technical documentation.” The “digital identity relies on a non-clonable element, placed in the packaging and associated with the part during the manufacturing process at CRP Technology.” Now that’s all rather mysterious, and the company says that “for verification, an authorized operator simply holds the enabled device close to the packaging, and confirmation is immediate.” The firm hopes that CRP UniqTrust could help replace a lot of the labels and physical papers that travel along with parts.
I really like the idea that you can always tell where a part came from, what material it is, and more.CRP also says that it “flags read requests that are inconsistent with the intended recipient company, safeguarding the integrity of the supply chain.” CRP says that it is doing this in advance of the Digital Product Passport, mandated by the European Union.The EU’s Digital Product Passport directive is meant to give all the products in the EU a unique identifier so that, for sustainability and authenticity, everything can be chased.
So once that directive gets implemented, this could be a great product.The company worked on CRP UniqTrust with Pengo Idee Onlife, a tool to collect products to apps, and with product identification tool Contatto Divino from the same firm.Contatto uses NFC tags and QR codes to connect products to digital registries.
I think that this is a great initiative.For things like aerospace parts, we know that there are counterfeits, and that could be a huge problem at some point.We know that people are going to be using 3D printing to counterfeit things generally as well.
And we know that there is a burgeoning MRO opportunity in lots of spare parts that may be authentic, but will be made differently from the original one.There is a lot of room for abuse.And if you developed a secure way of identifying one unique part, it could really help combat counterfeiting.
I can’t be sure here if CRP is printing QR codes on the item or putting an NFC tag into it.But, you could also scan each item and locate some unique surface features, layers, or pores to uniquely identify that item.More firms should think about adopting technology like this to ensure compliance and authenticity.
It can also be super handy for users to understand what material they’re dealing with, how to dispose of something or recycle it, how to order spare parts, and more.I really think that in digital custodianship and lifecycle management, a lot of value will be created.So to future proof your products and to extend the functionality of your prints while also ensuring authenticity, have a look at what CRP is up to.
Images: CRP Subscribe to Our Email Newsletter Stay up-to-date on all the latest news from the 3D printing industry and receive information and offers from third party vendors.Print Services Upload your 3D Models and get them printed quickly and efficiently.Powered by FacFox Powered by 3D Systems Powered by Craftcloud Powered by First Mold Powered by Xometry 3DPrinting Business Directory 3DPrinting Business Directory
Read More
