This chapter gives you an overview about the goals of the service, in which context the service runs and which stakeholders are involved.

Requirements overview

What is the purpose of the Trace-X application

  • Empower all companies from SMEs to large OEMs to participate in parts traceability with an open-source solution to easily take part in the Catena-X traceability use case.

  • It is a standalone application which can be self-hosted.

  • Display the relations of the automotive value chain based on a standardized IT model.

  • Overview and transparency across the supplier network enable faster intervention based on recorded events in the supply chain.

  • Notifications & Messages regarding quality-related incidents and a tool for inspecting the supply chain.

Essential features

  • List, view and publish manufactured parts based on BoM AsBuild

  • List, view and publish planned parts based on BoM AsPlanned

  • Filter and search functionality on part views

  • Show detailed information on manufactured parts from AAS description assets and aspects

  • Uses submodels SerialPart, Batch, JustInSequence and PartAsPlanned

  • List and view supplier parts (SingleLevelBomAsBuilt) based on BoM AsBuilt lifecycle

  • List and view customer parts (SingleLevelUsageAsBuilt) based on BoM AsBuilt lifecycle

  • View parts and parts relations in a visualized parts tree

  • Send and receive top-down notifications (quality investigations) along the supply chain

  • Compliance with Catena-X guidelines

Quality goals

The following table entries define overall Trace-X quality goals. The order of topics does not imply a priority of the quality goals.

Quality goal Motivation and description

Running reference application for Catena-X traceability

Consume traceability data, visualize it in a state-of-the-art frontend to the user and enable the exchange of notifications.

Accessible and easy to use

Enable SMEs to large enterprises.

Cloud agnostic solution

Trace-X is built as a reference architecture and able to be run on different cloud solutions. It uses Helm charts so that it can easily be deployed on different systems.

Trustworthy application

Trace-X uses the Catena-X standards as a basis to fulfill the interoperability (with commercial as well as other solutions) and data sovereignty requirements.

Application reliability

The Trace-X architecture is set up so that provided part tree structures are consumed, aggregated and utilized to enable quality related actions such as notifications along the supply chain on which the costumers can rely.

Usability and user experience

Trace-X is aligned with the overarching UUX guidelines. This ensures ease of use for the user as well as a good user experience.

Security

Static Application Security Testing (SAST) and Dynamic Application Security Testing (DAST) are executed automatically and regularly. Findings are recorded and mitigated.

Stakeholder

The following table presents the stakeholders of Trace-X and their respective interests.

Who Matters and concern

Software developer

  • Make an impact on Catena-X by participating in open-source software.

  • Example implementation for own use cases and applications.

Operating environments

  • Use Trace-X as a basis for industrialization.

  • Example implementation for own business applications, further features and fast ramp up.

Catena-X partners

  • Take part in traceability use case.

  • See relationships in the value chain.

  • React on quality issues with standardized actions and notifications.

Larger OEMs / tiers

  • Want to use this implementation for further development and integration into their system landscape.

SMEs

  • Need a solution to view data provided into the Catena-X network.

  • Act in a standardized way with partners within CX.