MAKING YOUR MARK - A GUIDE TO INTELLIGENT MARKING SYSTEMS

Corporate and legislative demands have led to a heightened awareness of the need for reliable and cost-effective marking systems among automotive industry manufacturers eager to improve production efficiency in an increasingly competitive global market. At a time when the relationship between manufacturers and their suppliers is under constant review, it's inevitable that the provision of marking systems will be the subject of close scrutiny. Product marking is becoming an increasingly important process within the automotive industry. Perhaps the most obvious demand for it stems from the need for component traceability. This can prove vital for both internal quality monitoring and for after sales issues such as warranty requirements and product recall. Own-branding of components also involves the use of marking systems and will enable a manufacturer to minimise the circulation of pirate parts while providing the opportunity to reinforce company branding and logos. Appropriate methods of component marking depend upon individual applications and should be selected on the basis of collaborative discussions between manufacturer and supplier. Key factors which might influence the choice of marking system are varied and must be clearly identified at the start of any project. Logos and VIN numbers will require fixed and variable marks respectively, while marking methods for applications involving high volumes will in part be determined by the production cycle time. The nature of each application will have a bearing on whether a stand-alone or fully integrated marking system is most suitable and on the necessity for total automation against manual input. Even Health and Safety stipulations could dictate the selection of a particular system in order to guarantee compliance with current noise level legislation. Systems will also be chosen according to whether an application requires the creation of visible alphanumeric characters or more sophisticated machine-readable coded symbologies. Coded marks such as 2D matrix codes, can be used to store detailed information on components and can be read with a degree of speed and accuracy unmatched by humans. Today, a wide range of marking systems have been developed to meet the needs of every conceivable component marking challenge. Gaining widespread support, Pryor's low noise Autoscribe process marks VIN numbers using a scribing head which leaves a permanent but easily read indented mark that is difficult to reproduce and provides value added security benefits to the automotive industry. Marking accuracy is assured by integrating the marking system into the production line infrastructure and thereby automating the reading and checking of critical data. Well-established dot marking techniques can be used in any number of applications due to their ability to mark a wide range of materials and products from either purpose-built fixtures, stand-alone and even hand-held machines. Pryor's latest LD2 Portadot machine consolidates this technology into an electric powered, hand-held marking head weighing less than 2.5kg (5lbs), capable of producing an alpha-numeric or 2D matrix coded mark. Laser marking offers some of the most advanced component marking technology available and is gaining widespread approval for its combination of speed, versatility and near silent operation. Diode pumped Nd:Yag lasers offer operational efficiencies up to 20 times that of traditional lamp pumped systems and do not require additional cooling systems. This results in low operational cost and a unit size well suited to integrated applications. A laser's non-contact marking eliminates the need for mechanical clamping and an extremely localised beam results in the creation of clearly defined characters which leave components' base material undeformed. These characteristics make lasers particularly suited to high volume and brand logo applications involving hard materials and where the maintenance of critical tolerances is vital, such as the marking of bearings, gear wheels and piston rings. The laser is also ideally suited to mark 2D matrix codes, a technology used widely in the aerospace industry and gaining interest among automotive suppliers keen to mark machine readable codes directly onto component parts. The future of marking systems is one in which the marking process itself is only one aspect of a much wider issue. Manufacturers must now consider the merits of the entire marking package offered by a supplier of component marking systems. As well as proven designs and a visible commitment to innovation and engineering excellence, the most desirable suppliers will be those offering comprehensive support services including installation and application engineers, software engineers, mobile technical backup and experienced project management teams. AUTHOR: Peter Rowlands is the Business Manager for Edward Pryor's marking machinery business. An engineering graduate from Sheffield University (UK), he is responsible for developing the Pryor Machinery Business globally.