BASECAMP: A Blockchain Approach for Supply Chain Additive Manufacturing Parts

The Phase 1 goal for the Blockchain Approach for Supply Chain Additive Manufacturing Parts (BASECAMP) proposal is to use the SIMBA Chain blockchain framework [1] to create a demonstration prototype showing a blockchain approach for the registration and tracking of Additive Manufacturing (AM) components during their entire lifecycle. The registration of AM components will consist of a hardware and software part; for hardware, a barcode will be inserted into the 3D print during manufacturing; and for software, the hardware identifier, along with design files and other metadata will recorded on the blockchain and data stores. This blockchain AM approach has several benefits: it provides a non-repudible way of registering repairs to battle damaged AM components; it provides unique registration of each component, using the the hardware identifier; it allows the storage of the design file that was used to construct that part that is signed by the author who created it, so that the authenticity of that design is established at its creation; and it provides a mechanism for inspecting potential assaults along the supply chain because each use of the part is tracked e.g. creation, installation, modification, etc.