It is essential in the world of business to have an efficient marking system in place, serving to identify and track the different products, materials and components. And so as specialists in industrial marking equipment, COUTH here explains what the marking system is, and the different types that exist.
We invite you to learn how marking systems have become an essential tool for all industrial sectors. We will explore how marking is performed, the different types of marking system, and their importance in supply chain management and traceability, as well as their impact on the business world.
What is the Marking System?
An industrial marking system is a mechanism used for unique identification of each of the parts or products manufactured in a production process. It serves to achieve 100% traceability of all parts, allowing them to be tracked from the point of manufacture to the end of their useful life.
This process is applied to various materials, such as metals, plastics, glasses, timber, rubber and others, by applying marks which may take the form of texts, codes, logos or other product identification elements.
What is product marking?
If you want to know what product marking is, we could say that it involves the process of identifying and labelling a product in a unique and distinctive manner, so as to provide information as to its origin, characteristics, date of manufacture, serial number, barcode and other significant details.
Product marking can be performed by means of different techniques, such as micro-percussion, laser marking, scratch marking and others. Each technique has its own characteristics and benefits, and must be chosen according to the type of product material, the required durability and other specific factors.
Product marking is these days widely used in a range of industries, such as the food, pharmaceutical, automotive and electronics industries, as well as many others. It allows products to be traced throughout their life-cycle, facilitates inventory management, helps with quality control and guarantees product authenticity and security.
What is industrial marking used for?
Industrial marking is used to identify and track product production in different industrial sectors. It allows products, components and materials to be coded and marked to identify, code and label them quickly and precisely, which is essential for quality control and product traceability.
It should be emphasised that industrial marking is applied to a wide variety of materials, such as plastics, metals, paper, glass and timber, and is used in such sectors as the pharmaceutical, food, construction, aeronautical, cosmetics, jewellery and electronics industries, along with others, to facilitate traceability control system management.
How is marking performed?
If you are wondering how marking is performed, you should be aware that this procedure can be conducted by means of different techniques and systems, serving to individually identify and mark each of the parts or products manufactured in an industrial process. These marking systems are essential to achieve product traceability and quality control.
Irrespective of the type of marking applied, various steps are performed to implement the process, such as:
1. Preparation of the surface:
- Cleaning: The surface of the material to be marked must be clean and free of dust, grease or other contaminants.
- Prior treatment: In some cases, prior treatment of the surface may be required, such as polishing or degreasing.
2. Application of the mark:
- Selection of the marking system: The type of marking system to be used will depend on the material, the size of the mark and the application requirements.
- Configuration of the marking system: The marking system must be configured with the right parameters, such as power, speed and character size.
- Application of the mark: The mark is applied to the surface of the material by means of the selected marking system.
What types of marking are there?
For a full understanding of what the marking system involves, you should be aware that there are various industrial marking methods, such as:
1) Micro-percussion marking
Micro-percussion marking involves making a series of impacts with a punch vibrating at high frequency, striking and modifying the surface of the material at very high speed, creating a small indentation to leave the desired mark.
This is a technology capable of applying permanent, unalterable and indelible marks. It is widely used in various industrial sectors to mark VIN numbers on vehicle chassis, aeroplane parts, bicycles and other items.
Micro-percussion marking is clean, safe and easy-to-use. Meanwhile, it causes no stress or damage to the physical characteristics of the material, and withstands physical and chemical aggression.
It can furthermore be applied to a wide range of metals, such as aluminium, copper, stainless steel and others. This is a powerful, versatile and low-cost technology, since the operation requires low maintenance and minimal consumables.
2) Scratch marking
Scratch marking is an industrial marking system which involves scraping a punch over the surface of the part to be identified, at a controlled speed.
A tungsten carbide or diamond tip is used to leave a deep groove in the material, forming continuous lines to create a permanent and indelible mark which may contain texts, codes, symbols, logos and other types of information, in a long-lasting and high-quality process.
This marking method is selected mainly in applications where the level of noise in the working environment is decisive, since it is quieter compared with other marking systems. And it is used in various industries for the permanent engraving of such materials as stainless steel, aluminium, copper, zamak and some plastics.
3) Laser marking
Laser marking is an industrial marking method which uses a concentrated beam of light to create permanent marks on a wide range of materials, such as metals, plastics, glass, ceramics and others. The resulting marks are long-lasting and resistant to wear, corrosion and chemical agents.
The laser marking process involves focusing a beam of high-energy laser light on the surface of the material to be marked. The laser interacts with the material, whether through ablation (elimination of a surface layer of the material), melting or chemical alteration, to create precise and legible marks.
This marking system offers various benefits, such as high precision, marking speed, the possibility of producing high-resolution marks, and the capacity to mark a wide range of part sizes and shapes.
Meanwhile, laser marking is a contactless process, which means there is no mechanical wear of the marking tools, and no additional chemical products or dyes need to be used.
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