Direct Part Laser Marking (DPM) applies light energy density to the surface of a part that causes the surface of the part to change in various ways (subject to the laser wave length, pulse parameters, and substrate being processed) in order to produce a permanent mark. The resulting quality of the mark depends upon the interaction of the laser with the material it is marking. A laser can produce both round and square modules; typically, the laser is used to produce a square module and continuous finder pattern for higher density (large data capacity) codes. The laser marking process offers high speed, consistency, and high precision. Laser marking is widely used in the semiconductor, electronics, aeronautics, military, automotive, and medical device industries.
Bar Code Selection
Industry standards groups frequently define the appropriate code for a given application. For example, the Automotive Industry Action Group (AIAG) has published guidelines for Data Matrix™ and QR Code; the Air Transport Association (ATA) as part of the Spec2000 bar code specification defines Data Matrix for DPMI; the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) specifies Data Matrix for their Unique Identification (UID).
When specified, it generally makes sense to follow the industry guidelines because it improves efficiencies throughout product manufacturing and the supply chain. However, if no guidelines are available within your industry, investigate the standards and guidelines set forth in other industries. This will allow you to define guidelines for your company on not only what code(s) to use but also recommendations on marking methods, data encoding and verification.
When there is no specified standard, Data Matrix ECC200 is recommended. This ISO code standard is the most widely supported for DPMI applications involving metal, glass, ceramic, or plastic materials. Because this code is in the public domain, marking and reading equipment suppliers have invested significant R&D resources to improve the performance of Data Matrix ECC200 supporting equipment. |
