What does direct marking mean?
Marking directly on the product - without a label or type plate
Direct marking is the direct marking of a product without the use of type plates or labels. The process, which is also known as direct part marking (DPM) or direct marking, allows certain identification features to be applied to finished products so that not only the end product but also the individual parts of the product can be traced throughout their service life. Direct marking makes the components identifiable and also reduces the amount of work involved, as components do not have to be laboriously marked using stickers or labels.
Where is Direct Part Marking used?
Industries and marking content
Direct marking is used in particular in industry and in medical, electrical and aerospace technology to mark workpieces and ensure their complete traceability throughout the entire product life cycle. The direct marking of individual parts, sub-assemblies, assemblies or end products can consist of product information such as serial numbers, barcodes or 2D Codes as well as part numbers and batches.
The advantages of direct marking
Forgery-proof and traceable
The direct marking of products and components has a number of advantages for processing companies. Products made from different raw materials, such as metal, plastic and glass, can be marked easily and flexibly with direct part marking. Large amounts of information can be applied in the smallest of spaces and read automatically afterwards. This not only automates production, assembly and logistics processes, but also allows products to be marked in a tamper-proof and traceable manner. However, direct marking also has other advantages, such as
- High productivity
- Traceability and containment of faulty batches
- Process control
- Forgery-proof and therefore counterfeit protection
- Marking for the entire product lifetime
- No additional consumables
- Reduction of error costs during storage
Which coding and marking system is suitable for direct marking?
Laser or ink
Permanent and forgery-proof marking for the entire product life is possible with laser systems. There are different effects when heating the surface depending on the duration and intensity of the laser light:
- Engraving
- Ablation
- Foaming
- Annealing marking
In addition to counterfeit protection, traceability and permanent marking, industrial direct marking with laser systems has another decisive advantage: they are consumables-free and virtually maintenance-free.
With inkjet printers, even difficult surfaces can be marked in high resolution and contact-free with excellent marking, the shortest drying time and the best adhesion. The modular design of the system components creates flexibility when printing variable data. The Inkjet Printers are ideal when a high printing speed is required or different substrates have to be marked. The result is always high-contrast marking.
