3.7 Recall Drill Procedure + “Reverse Genealogy Report” Template
A recall is not a "possibility"; it is a statistical certainty. When a raw material defect is discovered, the difference between a minor logistical annoyance (recalling 500 units) and a company-ending event (recalling 50,000 units) is the precision of your data scope. Traceability is the insurance policy; the Recall Drill is the fire inspection to prove the policy pays out.
The Mandate: Drill Cadence
Do not wait for a crisis to test your query speed. Execute a "Mock Recall" on a strict schedule.
- Frequency: Bi-Annual (Every 6 months).
- Method: Double-Blind. The Quality Manager selects a target (e.g., "Capacitor Lot X") without warning Operations.
- Objective: Produce the Containment List within the defined SLA (Service Level Agreement).
Drill Scenarios
Test the system against the three vectors of failure.
Scenario A: The Poisoned Ingredient (Upstream)
- Trigger: Supplier notifies you that Lot_A123 of Resistor_R1 is defective.
- Query Logic: Select Parent_SN where Child_Lot = 'Lot_A123'.
- Goal: Find every finished good containing this specific batch.
Scenario B: The Process Excursion (Internal)
- Trigger: Maintenance discovers Reflow Oven 3 had a broken fan between 08:00 and 10:00 yesterday.
- Query Logic: Select Parent_SN where Machine_ID = 'Oven_3' AND Timestamp BETWEEN '08:00' AND '10:00'.
- Goal: Quarantine only the units processed during the thermal excursion.
Scenario C: The Contagion (Downstream/Field)
- Trigger: Customer returns 3 units with cracked screens.
- Query Logic: Commonality Analysis. Compare the genealogy trees of the 3 failed units.
- Goal: Identify the common factor (e.g., "All 3 used Glass Lot Z").
Success Criteria (The SLA)
A drill is a "Fail" if it produces the correct data too slowly.
- Time-to-List (TTL): Target < 1 Hour. (If it takes 24 hours to query the database, the ship has already left the port).
- Completeness: 100%. Missing a single unit implies a "False Negative" risk, forcing you to recall the entire month's production to be safe.
- Containment: Physical quarantine of WIP units within 4 Hours.
Pro-Tip: Do not rely on ERP for tree traversal. ERP structures are flat. Use the MES or a dedicated Graph Database (e.g., Neo4j) for deep genealogy queries.
The "Reverse Genealogy" Report Template
When the CEO asks "How bad is it?", do not send a raw SQL dump. Use this standardized template to categorize risk.
Section 1: Scope Definition
- Trigger: [Input Value, e.g., "Solder Paste Lot 99"]
- Date Range: [Start Date] to [End Date]
- Total Affected Count: [Integer]
Section 2: Disposition Matrix (The "Where is it?" Table)
Categorize the affected units by their current physical state to determine financial impact.
Category | Definition | Count | Action Required |
WIP (Factory) | Units currently on the production line. | [Qty] | Immediate Stop. Route to Rework/Scrap. |
Inventory (FGI) | Units in the warehouse (Boxed). | [Qty] | Administrative Hold. Do not ship. Unbox for rework. |
In-Transit | Shipped but not arrived at Customer. | [Qty] | Recall from Carrier. Intercept shipment. |
Delivered | In Customer possession. | [Qty] | Field Recall. Issue RMA. (Highest Liability). |
Scrapped | Units already destroyed. | [Qty] | None. (Accounting Write-off only). |
Section 3: The Hit List (Data Extract)
(Attach as CSV)
- Parent_Serial_Number
- Current_Location (e.g., "Pallet 5, Rack B" or "Customer X")
- Work_Order_ID
- Date_Produced
Post-Drill Analysis (The "Autopsy")
If the drill fails, fix the system.
- If Time-to-List > 4 Hours → Then Index the Database. Your query performance is inadequate.
- If "Ghost Units" found (System says FGI, Warehouse says Empty) → Then Trigger full Inventory Audit.
- If Data Gap (e.g., "Unknown Component Lot") → Then Halt Line. Enforce Supplier Interlocks (See Page 3.3).
Final Checklist
Category | Metric / Control | Threshold / Rule |
Cadence | Drill Frequency | Minimum 2x / Year (Bi-Annual). |
Speed | Time-to-List | < 1 Hour to generate the list of affected SNs. |
Accuracy | Capture Rate | 100%. Zero tolerance for missing links. |
Scope | Dimensions | Drill must test Supplier (Lot), Internal (Time), and Field (SN) triggers. |
Reporting | Disposition | Report must split counts by WIP / FGI / Shipped. |
Containment | Physical Action | Affected WIP must be electronically locked (Hold status) immediately. |