3. Traceability for Airbus

According to Trevor Stone, Head of Value Chain Visibility at Airbus, the aircraft manufacturer is well aware of the parts it manufactures and assembles to produce the aircraft it will deliver to one of its customers: an airline. The term "traceability" covers a number of parameters that must be perfectly mastered to guarantee the aircraft's smooth operation and passenger safety. For example, traceability is traditionally ensured by the serial number, which identifies a single part that will never be reused for other occurrences of the same part. The serial number is equipped with an identification plate, which is physically fixed (or glued) to the part identified in this way and whose traceability is to be ensured: important traceability data is printed or engraved on it. It's exactly the same for aircraft equipment such as aircraft engines, which follow the same industrial standards, including...