“FabRec”
- A case study presentation by Supriya Hegde
What is FabRec?
• A Prototype for Peer-to-Peer Network of Manufacturing Nodes .
• A decentralized approach to handle manufacturing information generated
by various organisations using blockchain technology.
SO, HOW DOES IT WORK?
• Simulate the decentralized systems, a blockchain network comprising 4
computers acting as nodes of the blockchain representing various
fabrication service providers.
• Ethereum is chosen as the blockchain platform for its ease of
programming smart contracts.
• Two systems connected to the Global Ethereum Ropsten TestNetwork.
Enter Blockchain Technologies and
Smart Contracts
• A participant can be a human, manufacturing machines, a computing
node or an agent representing an organization, with each participant
having an address identifying the participant on the network.
• Manufacturers in any part of the world with verified capabilities gain
access to the network.
• Access is also granted to significant machine assets currently owned by
the manufacturer.
• Other participants include verifiers such as ISO body quality certifiers
that can independently verify the validity of a certification claim made by
a manufacturer.
• Networks of machine asset builders can be part of the network either
contributing data or simply gaining access to the data made available on
the blockchain network.
Block and Its Data Payload
• Each block consists of an immutable hash of the prior block that it is connected to, contains information about the
most recent transactions, the size of the block, a transaction counter that keeps a track on the block instance being
added to the blockchain, a block header retaining information on the cryptographic hash of the previous and the
current block, the current timestamp and a ‘number used only once’ or a Nonce random number that aids in the
generation of valid hashes for subsequent blocks
Consensus Algorithms
• Mining within the context of blockchain implies a mechanism for
establishing consensus on the state of the blockchain to ensure that it is
both secure and tamper- resistant.
• Proof of authority (PoA) is proposed as a way of implementing consensus
in a private network where the participants are vetted and aware of each
other’s identity.
• The system is run by N trusted nodes (authorities) who have the authority
to verify new transactions (or data) and issue new blocks to be added to
the blockchain.
• A minimum number of authorities are assumed to be honest (= N/2 + 1
authorities).
• If there is a conflict or fraud, it is possible to stop a particular authority
from participating in the new mining processes.
Block Architecture at the
Manufacturer Level
• Each of these machines with a unique identity will be given the ability to
directly write critical ‘events’ to the private blockchain in which the
manufacturer participates in. Events recorded by the machine are
transferred to its virtual twin, through which events are batched up and
served up to the blockchain database.
• The content of the data block or the ‘payload’ of the block will depend on
the following 1) Type of machine; 2) Type of event being recorded3)
Number of transactions being recorded into the block. Hence one block
can contain multiple transactions related to the operation of a machine.
• Information sharing can increase the reputation of the service provider
and improves the odds of winning new business.
• This example block displays the certification of a machine’s capabilities by a
neutral 3rd party.
• Two data models are developed that is central to the development of the
decentralized manufacturing data blockchain, particular in the context of
establishing trust between two parties.
• They are 1) Transaction Model; and 2) Block Model.
Smart Contract Structures
• To allow navigation of the data
and selective sharing of data
pertaining to an organisation,
They have designed 3 smart
contract representations to
represent the relationships
between various participants.
• They are the 1) Global Registrar
Contract (GRC); 2) Participant
Historical Event Contract
(PHEC); and 3) Participant
Relationship Contract (PRC).
•
•
Use case
• The system could be used as a peer-to-peer network that allows
companies to find small- and medium-sized manufacturers that are
capable of producing specific components on a reliable basis.
• FabRec would allow companies to automatically report about their
manufacturing activities: which machines are being used, what materials
they are working with, raw material inventory levels, whether the work is
being completed on time, and so on.
• These updates are automated, users can be fairly certain that the
information is accurate, and because it's being done through the
blockchain, which allows event logs to be traced to their source, there is
accountability. So clients can find the right manufacturers, and
manufacturers can find new clients, without relying solely on claims
made in marketing materials.
Based on :
A Case Study for Blockchain in Manufacturing:
“FabRec”: A Prototype for Peer-to-Peer Network of
Manufacturing Nodes
Atin Angrish , Benjamin Craver , Mahmud Hasan , Binil Starly,
a a a
Edward P. Fitts
Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering
Comparative Medicine Institute North Carolina State
University, Raleigh, NC USA 27695
