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Automotive Part Marking Technologies - Which One to Choose?

authorIcon By Keven Tremblay on July 17, 2019 topicIcon Traceability

If you are struggling to find a marking method for traceability, or simply for process improvement, you are not the only one. Of the traditional methods used to mark parts (wheel, powertrain, engine, and so on) in the automotive industry, none meet all three of the basic criteria for modern traceability:

  • Automotive parts that are permanently marked
  • Codes that are easy to read
  • Markings that are resistant to production line processes

You also need to factor in other considerations.

One of them is keeping up with short production cycles. You need to consider how you affect your production line with the method you choose. You don’t want to increase cycle time with slow machines and frequent downtime.

Another consideration is lowering costs. The method you choose may increase costs for many reasons. Will you need to buy and manage consumables? Dispose of contaminants? Perform regular maintenance? Repair broken equipment?

How Do Traditional Automotive Marking Methods Fare?

We’ve compared traditional methods used in the auto industry with laser marking. Take a look at the results:

Dot Peen Marking (Pin Stamping) vs. Laser Marking

  Dot Peen Marking Laser Marking
Permanent markings
High contrast X
Repeatability
Post-process resistant X
High marking speed X
Low maintenance X
Reliability of the device X
Low consumables
No contaminants

Dot peen marking (also known as pin stamping) is the best contender against laser marking in the automotive industry. That’s because it’s the only traditional method that’s close to meeting modern traceability requirements. It’s a method that creates permanent markings by engraving identifiers deep in the material.

But markings created by dot peening have a poor readability rate. Due to their low contrast, they require special lighting conditions so that scanners can read characters and data matrix codes. As such, they don’t do well with inline reading, and they’re vulnerable to post-process treatments like shotblasting.

Dot peening isn’t production-line friendly either: it’s a slow marking process, and it’s heavy on maintenance. In addition, the system is unreliable because it includes many moving, mechanical parts that increase the probability of failure. It may offer good repeatability, but it’s not perfectly repetitive and thus contributes to the scrap rate.

Inkjet Printing vs. Laser Marking

  Inkjet Printing Laser Marking
Permanent markings X
High contrast
Repeatability X
Post-process resistant X
High marking speed
Low maintenance X
Reliability of the device X
Low consumables X
No contaminants X

If you think that inkjet printing isn’t fit for the auto industry, you’re right. Ink is just one of those things that isn’t permanent. It may be affected by chemical aggression, simple solvents, mechanical abrasion, or smear before it dries. If you have post-process treatments, it will definitely be erased.

Ink markings have high contrast and thus a good readability rate, but not all the time. This is because the readability of your codes degrades over time as the nozzle becomes blocked or clogged. The unreliability of the inkjet printer thus means that maintenance is a frequent issue for the production line.

You may think that inkjet printing is a cheap technology because of its low initial hardware cost, but it’s more expensive than it seems. You’ll still need to buy high-quality ink, and you’ll have to manage environmental and safety issues: its use causes volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that are highly flammable.

Tag Marking (Labels and Nameplates) vs. Laser Marking

  Tag Marking Laser Marking
Permanent markings X
High contrast
Repeatability
Post-process resistant X
High marking speed
Low maintenance
Reliability of the device
Low consumables X
No contaminants X

Tag marking is what you may know as labels or nameplates. It’s not a true direct part marking method because the tag—and not the marking itself—is applied to the part surface. Resulting markings aren’t permanent because tags tend to fall off, especially during post-process treatments.

You could almost think that tag marking is production-line friendly were it not for the facts that tags fall off and don’t do well with dirty surfaces. You indeed get a reliable technology that offers a high marking speed and a low maintenance effort.

One thing you should keep in mind is that tags need consumables that increase costs. For high part temperatures (for example, aluminum parts), this technology requires very costly consumables like high-tech papers or plastics.

Why Laser Marking Meets Automotive Marking Requirements

Traditional marking methods were designed before modern requirements in the auto industry.

Laser marking is a modern technology designed with modern automotive applications in mind.

If you want markings that are permanent and resistant to production line processes as well codes that are easy to read, you should consider laser marking seriously.

Laserax has developed a unique laser marking technology that meets the requirements of the auto industry. You can visit our page on the automotive industry here.

Keven Tremblay's picture

Keven Tremblay

Electrical and automation technician for more than 6 years, Keven is now a technical sales specialist at Laserax to present clients with the best laser solutions. His expertise in PLC programming and electrical design as well as with vision systems allow him to better evaluate clients' needs and offer them adapted industrial automated solutions.