CRP Group launches UniqTrust for additive manufacturing traceability

CRP Group has launched CRP UniqTrust, a digital identity system designed to strengthen traceability and authentication for components produced using its Windform additive manufacturing materials.

The Modena-based company said the system gives each Windform component its own digital identity, allowing authorised users to access information on the part’s origin, conformity and production history. The launch is aimed at sectors including aerospace, motorsport and defence, where components are often used in demanding or mission-critical applications.

CRP Group, based in Italy’s Motor Valley, provides CNC machining, metal additive manufacturing and selective laser sintering using its proprietary Windform technopolymer composites.

Digital identity for additive manufacturing parts

CRP UniqTrust links a physical component to a protected digital record. The connection is made through a non-clonable element placed in the packaging and associated with the part during the manufacturing process at CRP Technology, the group company that provides Windform SLS 3D printing services.

Authorised operators can verify the component by holding an enabled device close to the packaging, with confirmation provided immediately.

The digital record can include information such as the certificate of authenticity, order references, part code and material used. CRP said it can also be enriched with customised technical documentation where required.

Franco Cevolini, chief executive and chief technology officer of CRP Group, said: “For over 55 years, we have been manufacturing components for those who cannot afford margins of error.

“CRP UniqTrust is the natural evolution of this culture: it is no longer enough for a part to be expertly made, it must be able to prove its own identity and conformity at any point in its life cycle.”

Supporting aerospace and defence supply chain assurance

CRP said the system could reduce the need for paper certificates and datasheets by giving authorised users digital access to consistent and retrievable product information.

The system is also designed to flag read requests that do not match the intended recipient company, adding a further layer of protection around supply chain integrity.

For aerospace and defence customers, the approach is intended to support stronger control over additive-manufactured parts as they move through complex supply chains.

CRP said the launch also reflects the direction of travel in Europe towards digital product passports, with manufacturing industries expected to face growing requirements around traceability, product data and lifecycle information.

CRP UniqTrust was developed in collaboration with Contatto Divino, a division of Pengo Idee Onlife, which specialises in phygital systems linking high-value physical products to digital ecosystems.