Smart packaging system: Dairy supply chain traceability enhancement with industry 4.0

Abstract

Supply chains are important in transporting goods, services and information across countries. However, these supply chains are prone to problems and disruptions because of their high interdependency. This research aimed to investigate how the dairy supply chain is to be aligned with the application of smart packaging using Industry 4.0 technologies. It is also investigating how these technologies are to be applied so as to improve traceability, inventory management, and real-time monitoring. The study integrated an NFC-based system to monitor products and detect any tampering for their safety from the factory to the consumer. The system also incorporated sensors to monitor temperature and humidity in transit, significantly reducing the possibility of spoilage, contamination and quality loss. Furthermore, the development of a web-based interface for users to assign checkpoints and observe the information regarding each device. It utilized a cloud-based system to store and send data, making it easy to access and manage. The Smart Packaging System was tested thoroughly to ensure its proper functionality. The NFC reader module could read NFC tags on packages efficiently, thus allowing for the correct identification of products. The sensor module is also capable of real-time detection of temperature and humidity and registration of key environment information. The reader module is capable of reporting product information such as NFC and environmental states into database effectively. In addition, the system could trace the location and status of all products effectively and provided real-time information. Data transfer from the database to the web interface by the system works correctly and clearly projected it on the cloud interface. Lastly, the interface is easy to use and provided simple access to important points of data.