SCATE Program Overview
To support the clean energy transition and build the grid of the future, we are launching the Supply Chain and Asset Traceability for Electric (SCATE) program under the IEEE Industry Connections platform (IC22-009). The goal of the SCATE program is to develop a framework for creating industry standards and supporting technology to enable the use of Smart Tags and a Digital Thread for electric grid assets that links data from design through decommissioning.
The vision for SCATE is an end state where manufacturers apply a Smart Tag (barcode, QR code, RFID) that links the physical asset to its Digital Thread. The Digital Thread dataset will include attributes such as country of origin, manufacturer, serial number, ratings, size, embedded software, constituent materials, and links to other datasets and documents. Any user along the supply chain can scan the Smart Tag and retrieve traceability data in a standardized format and perform real-time validation. Asset traceability data from the Digital Thread can be automatically delivered to systems of record to create high fidelity datasets for analytics, asset management, and compliance.
The deliverable of this program will be a whitepaper that defines the use cases, critical assets, and attribute data models for SCATE. The white paper will also provide real-world case studies from pilot projects performed together with utilities and manufacturers.
Partnering with EPRI and utilities such as AEP and Southern Company will accelerate the success and implementation of supply chain and asset traceability standards and technologies.
Use Cases
The first task of the SCATE work group is to define the highest value use cases, here are some use cases that are under consideration:
Supply Chain can scan the Smart Tag upon intake to verify that products meet various company requirements such as approved vendors and country of origin. Recalled assets and those past their shelf life can also be identified upon receipt. Supporting datasets such as MSDS can also be linked through the Digital Thread.
Construction Crews can scan the Smart Tag prior to installation to verify that products meet engineering design specifications for a specific project. This can also be performed during emergency response to verify that assets received through mutual aid are compliant with system requirements.
Construction Crews can also scan the Smart Tags to access product information during construction including installation manuals and troubleshooting videos.
Digital as-builts can be created automatically by scanning the Smart Tags that contain attribute information such as asset type and size. Systems of record such as GIS and ADMS can then be automatically updated with high quality data from the Smart Tag and Digital Thread.
Having systems of record populated with full traceability data allows Asset Managers to efficiently mitigate risks from manufacturer recalls and other systemic performance issues. IT can track and mitigate cyber security threats if a Software Bill of Materials (SBOM) is included in the Digital Thread.
End-of-life activities such as decommissioning and disposal can be tracked to ensure hazardous materials are properly accounted for. Recycling and reuse can also be tracked to accurately report compliance with ESG goals.
Pilot Projects
Within the SCATE program we are performing pilot projects with select manufacturers and utilities to prove the concept and demonstrate the value of supply chain and asset traceability. Our first pilot project with Richards Manufacturing, Alabama Power – Southern Company, AEP, and Consolidated Edison focused on cold shrink splice kits. We worked collaboratively with stakeholders from supply chain, asset management, engineering, and GIS to gather traceability requirements including serial number, part number, country of origin, shelf life, voltage class, conductor size, and connection type – plus a link to the MSDS. We then developed a data model and implemented it within the GS1 platform to create a Smart Tag to allow stakeholders along the supply chain to retrieve data in a standardized format.
We will continue conducting pilot projects with new asset types to accelerate learning and demonstrate real-world use cases.
Additional Information
If you are interested in getting involved with SCATE send us an email at SCATE@locusview.com.
Alicia Farag
Co-Founder and President, Locusview