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Non-Fungible Blockchain Tokens for Traceable Online-Quality Assurance of Milled Workpieces

Nicolai Maisch, Shengjian Chen, Alexander Robertus, Samed Ajdinović, Armin Lechler, Alexander Verl, Oliver Riedel

TL;DR

The paper tackles the challenge of traceable online-quality assurance in flexible CNC milling by pairing real-time simulation-based QA with NFT-based data management on Ethereum, anchored to an interoperable AAS data model. It proposes an end-to-end platform where quality data are stored encrypted on IPFS and linked to an Ethereum NFT (ERC-721), enabling tamper-evident, cross-company traceability. A concrete ERC-721 implementation is demonstrated, including data flow from real-time QA to minted tokens and a milled-workpiece validation that supports automated data exchange and auditability. The work highlights practical considerations for privacy and cost (encryption, potential private blockchains, IPFS usage) while showing NFTs as a robust data-anchoring mechanism for collaborative quality assessment in manufacturing.

Abstract

This work presents a concept and implementation for the secure storage and transfer of quality-relevant data of milled workpieces from online-quality assurance processes enabled by real-time simulation models. It utilises Non-Fungible Tokens (NFT) to securely and interoperably store quality data in the form of an Asset Administration Shell (AAS) on a public Ethereum blockchain. Minted by a custom smart contract, the NFTs reference the metadata saved in the Interplanetary File System (IPFS), allowing new data from additional processing steps to be added in a flexible yet secure manner. The concept enables automated traceability throughout the value chain, minimising the need for time-consuming and costly repetitive manual quality checks.

Non-Fungible Blockchain Tokens for Traceable Online-Quality Assurance of Milled Workpieces

TL;DR

The paper tackles the challenge of traceable online-quality assurance in flexible CNC milling by pairing real-time simulation-based QA with NFT-based data management on Ethereum, anchored to an interoperable AAS data model. It proposes an end-to-end platform where quality data are stored encrypted on IPFS and linked to an Ethereum NFT (ERC-721), enabling tamper-evident, cross-company traceability. A concrete ERC-721 implementation is demonstrated, including data flow from real-time QA to minted tokens and a milled-workpiece validation that supports automated data exchange and auditability. The work highlights practical considerations for privacy and cost (encryption, potential private blockchains, IPFS usage) while showing NFTs as a robust data-anchoring mechanism for collaborative quality assessment in manufacturing.

Abstract

This work presents a concept and implementation for the secure storage and transfer of quality-relevant data of milled workpieces from online-quality assurance processes enabled by real-time simulation models. It utilises Non-Fungible Tokens (NFT) to securely and interoperably store quality data in the form of an Asset Administration Shell (AAS) on a public Ethereum blockchain. Minted by a custom smart contract, the NFTs reference the metadata saved in the Interplanetary File System (IPFS), allowing new data from additional processing steps to be added in a flexible yet secure manner. The concept enables automated traceability throughout the value chain, minimising the need for time-consuming and costly repetitive manual quality checks.
Paper Structure (9 sections, 5 figures, 1 table)

This paper contains 9 sections, 5 figures, 1 table.

Table of Contents

  1. Introduction
  2. State of the Art
  3. Online-quality assurance
  4. The AAS for Quality Assurance Data
  5. Blockchain Technology for Supply Chain Traceability
  6. Overview of Blockchain Applications in Traceability Networks
  7. NFT-based Traceability Platform
  8. Implementation and Results
  9. Conclusion

Figures (5)

  • Figure 1: Online-quality assurance framework with an industrial robot use case
  • Figure 2: Concept overview for secure exchange of quality relevant information
  • Figure 3: Collaborative enrichment of quality-relevant data by the NFT and IPFS
  • Figure 4: UML class diagram of the smart contract for quality assurance NFTs
  • Figure 5: Representation of the minted NFT as proof of quality