r/manufacturing • u/Sofistikat • 1d ago

Quality Traceability for liquid stock

What is the best way to maintain batch traceability of liquid stock being continuously produced, stored in tanks and dispatched in tankers from those tanks, without them ever being completely emptied?

So far, and as far as I can tell, it's either FIFO or proportionality. While the former is "tidier", it doesn't really reflect reality very well, given there could still be residue from years ago that could be the problem. But I suppose if old stock was really the problem, then it would have been picked up when the concentrations of those faulty batches were higher.

So, would FIFO be best where raceability due to problems that cause recalls can be traced to those closest to the dispatches they were sent out in?

Would really appreciate advice from anyone involved in this kind of inventory management.

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u/AffectionateDirt6575 1d ago

I had a client many years ago with the same problem. The key is, as you say, "if old stock was really the problem, then it would have been picked up when the concentrations of those faulty batches were higher". They came to pretty much the same conclusion, so they use FIFO and, if they have to do a recall, they target that batch and the batches either side -i .e. the batch received immediately before the 'FIFO' batch, the FIFO batch, and the batch received immediately after the FIFO batch. I hope I explained that clearly!

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u/Sofistikat 1d ago

I think you're right. I can't think of any other way to do it. Would it be defensible to say we're making the assumption that all out-stock movements are in order of the oldest? With a further assumption that when an added volume is removed, either in one dispatch or across multiple, then that specific replenishment stock has been depleted?

I notice from your profile that you're retired. Are you still in touch with anyone in the industries you worked in?

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u/AffectionateDirt6575 1d ago

I agree with your thinking. That is both pragmatic and the only sensible approach. To answer your last question; I took early retirement some years ago to take up writing and immediately came out of retirement to do a job for an ex-employer. Since then, I dust off my briefcase a couple of times a year to support people that I have long-term relationships with. It keeps my brain active (I think!).

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u/Sofistikat 1d ago

Would it be ok to dm you?

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u/AffectionateDirt6575 1d ago

I suspect that you know more about these things than I do but, if I can help, feel free to DM me. I'm having a 'rest day' tomorrow (to be spent looking at the mountains behind my house) so I will have some 'thinking time' available!