ORIGINAL ARTICLE An approach to implement internal traceability in machining workshops Rachida Rouabhia-Essalhi 1 & Abdelaziz Amirat 2 Received: 24 January 2016 /Accepted: 18 April 2016 # Springer-Verlag London 2016 Abstract This paper focuses on an approach of implementing traceability of machined parts for subsets used in automotive products. The objective is to recover the memory of a given part that has been shaped by removing material from a blank to the finished part in order to fulfil a required function. The approach includes describing the process plan of a given part to be ma- chined, analysing the reliability of the production system, introducing the notion of points of data traceability re- cording (PDTR) and identifying the machined part by a well-established codification number within the machin- ing workshop. The present approach is illustrated through a case study of implementing internal traceabil- ity on batches of parts of hubs for wheelchairs that are manufactured at the Cyclomotor company CYCMA, Guelma in Algeria. Recalls and defective parts can be significantly identified towards the raw material, the pro- cess plan, the cutting tool and operators. Keywords Manufacturing workshop . Mechanical parts . Process plan . Codification . Traceability 1 Introduction The definition of traceability has been incorporated in 1987 into ISO 8402 [1] and continues to feature in ISO 9001:2000 quality procedures [2, 3]. Traceability is then defined as the ability to trace the history, application or location of an entity by means of recorded identifications. The objectives are not only to be able to react to defects or incorrect behaviour that have been generated by the manufacturing process [4] but also check and expertise defective parts of the system especially when there are subassemblies of the system that have been outsourced from an external company. Therefore, if a part is reported as defective, traceability records are then reviewed to obtain information that can precisely help delimiting individual products made in the same conditions [5] and avoid massive product recalls. In the last decade, the world of automotive vehicle has known two examples that should be mentioned: 1) Toyota Motor Corporation who had recalled of approxi- mately 5.2 million vehicles because of the pedal entrapment/floor mat problem and an additional 2.3 mil- lion vehicles because of the accelerator pedal problem and approximately 1.7 million vehicles are subject to both problems [6, 7]. 2) The German automobile constructor Volkswagen has submitted plan German regulators, outlining repairs to three models of diesel engines that largely involved in the emissions defects. More than 11 million vehicles are concerned around the world [8]. Since its development in the engineering industry [9], traceability is now a well-impregnated concept in all indus- tries. However, in the manufacturing industry such as the transformation of a raw blank to finished part, through a series of machining operations, it is difficult to draw or write an * Abdelaziz Amirat amirat_abd@yahoo.fr 1 Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of May 8th 1945 Guelma, Guelma, Algeria 2 LRTAPM Research Laboratory of advanced technology in mechanical production, mechanical department faculty of engineering sciences, Badji Mokhtar University Annaba, BP 12-23000, Annaba, Algeria Int J Adv Manuf Technol DOI 10.1007/s00170-016-8814-y