The National Institute of Standards and Technology has found a method to improve security for smart manufacturing systems with blockchain that provides tamper-proof transmission of data and traceability of information in the production process. NIST issued a report on Monday detailing how blockchain can help detect and deter potential digital threats in the manufacturing process.
The agency said the technology provided NIST engineers a digital thread replacing two-dimensional blueprints with 3D instructions capable of being electronically exchanged and processed during the manufacturing process.Â
“Blockchain gives us both capabilities, we can build trustworthiness into digital manufacturing networks,†said NIST engineer Thomas Hedberg, author of the report.Â
NIST said the Unified Modeling Language allows engineers to apply blockchain to the smart manufacturing network. UML enables users to monitor the flow of data, who is executing data exchanges, how and when the exchanges are taking place.
NIST is working with IBM, Lockheed Martin, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Pennsylvania State University and other 30 organization to promote using blockchain for smart manufacturing. The agency intends to increase its partnerships with industry and academia to support the initiative.Â
