Abstract: A method for use in managing manufacturing of a virtual factory includes receiving at a management location, for a plurality of respective particular components, a request over a network for a serial number to be used in identifying the particular component. The method also includes, for each respective particular component, in response to the request, determining a serial number for the particular component and for each of a plurality of independent manufacturing entities, independent from each other and the management location, that operate on the particular component, receiving and storing at the management location from the manufacturing entity, over the network, data indicative of a scanned bumpy bar code affixed on the particular component and data indicating a status of manufacture for the particular component, the scanned bumpy bar code signal being indicative of the determined serial number.

Abstract: A method for use in managing manufacturing of a virtual factory includes receiving at a management location, for a plurality of respective particular components, a request over a network for a serial number to be used in identifying the particular component. The method also includes, for each respective particular component, in response to the request, determining a serial number for the particular component and for each of a plurality of independent manufacturing entities, independent from each other and the management location, that operate on the particular component, receiving and storing at the management location from the manufacturing entity, over the network, data indicative of a scanned bumpy bar code affixed on the particular component and data indicating a status of manufacture for the particular component, the scanned bumpy bar code signal being indicative of the determined serial number.

Abstract: A method for identifying a component in a network environment includes receiving a communication indicating that a component includes a defect and associating the component with a bumpy bar code corresponding to a serial number stored in a component tracking module, the component being designated as scrap based on the defect. The method also includes tracking progress of the component until the scrap designation is removed from the component.