Sunday, October 25, 2009

UID Registry: Uncover The Significance of UID Registry to DOD

The US Department of Defense (DoD) has attempted to increase its data quality, accuracy and visibility with the Unique Identifier (UID) registry. On July 29, 2003, Acting Under Secretary of Defense Michael Wynne stated that the goal of the UID system was to assist in DoD item tracking and asset management. The UID registry is the database storage area for all tangible items that make up the barcode identification system for military property.

The UID registry is the storage repository for military property with barcode markings. This system enables the DoD to track, update and record important information related to the these items. If a product recall were to occur, the UID registry could be used for replacement of defective equipment.

Just like many large organizations, the DoD runs numerous software and hardware platforms. The UID registry is a central clearing house to ensure standardization of data across all computing systems. The Defense Logistics Information Service (DLIS) maintains the UID registry.

Barcode markings permit the DoD to track equipment, so they will always know its whereabouts. Updates can be made to database records; administrators can perform useful queries and searches based on the data components of the UID: type, contract and Issuing Agency Code (IAC). Other data components, like the unit acquisition cost, can be used in accounting documents for DoD financial management.

UID Registry Purpose

The UID registry permits consolidation of equipment data for DoD purposes. This government classification system has been gradually built up over time by requiring different vendor numbers for government contractors involved in military procurement. The UID registry attempts to create one key database for storage of item information in order to streamline the government contractor registration system.

Standardization across the entire DoD government procurement system is established by the UID registry, which will lead to improved item, finance and asset management. Auditing checks can be performed more easily with this uniform system. Military property, spread across the entire world, can be made more tangible with the UID registry.

UID Registry Importance

Accountants can update financial depreciation records with the lifecycle management tool - the UID registry. In the end, the UID registry should lead to reduced costs (improved financial management), due to a better understanding and more efficient approach to long-term inventory management.

The UID registry is vital to keeping track of DoD property, allowing for modification of data to achieve information management goals. It makes equipment location more tangible for DoD personnel who can ensure better data integrity, accuracy and quality.

The UID registry is a final storage area for the DoD barcode identification system, which allows for better data verification. It increases the reliability of data on military property that is used throughout the world.

Tuesday, October 20, 2009

Understanding MIL-STD-130

In December of 2007, the Department of Defense released an update to MIL-STD-130, the regulation governing the proper labeling of items in the military's inventory. This important set of standards ensures the efficient tracking and cataloging of every product and piece of equipment belonging to the United States government. By understanding a little background of this standard, you can ensure compliance with this important governing regulation.

First, it is important to understand that this regulation is constantly updated. Though the latest version of MIL-STD-130 was released on 17 December 2007, the previous version was released only two years earlier. This reflects the response of the Department of Defense to new technology, so understanding the emphasis and reasoning behind MIL-STD-130 is important to be prepared for its next iteration.

MIL-STD-130 is a specification of standardization already happening in the global marketplace. The regulation builds upon, and at times uses, standards and requirements from the International Organization for Standardization, or ISO, and the International Electro technical Commission, or IEC. The ISO/IEC guidelines help streamline and codify the unique labeling of all products, and MIL-STD-130 goes further to customize these standards for its own use. This reflects a realization by the DoD that rigorous standards are necessary now to ensure organization of millions of items in the future. MIL-STD-130 represents the continuing effort to incorporate this thinking into its procurement process.

Though MIL-STD-130 is demanding, it is also accommodating. The most recent update, called MIL-STD-130N, allows for several technologies to be employed in the process of marking items with a Unique Identification code, or UID. The first is a more traditional UID nameplate that meets specific criteria in text and location in order to organize items in the inventory. The second kind of UID marking is Machine Readable Identification, or MRI. There are two major kinds of MRI: barcode and data matrix. Barcodes are familiar to most consumers today, as they are present on just about all kinds of goods. Data matrix labels are used most recognizably by shipping companies, and these matrices hold a multitude of information as well. They use a square field of smaller black and white squares to code information.

For suppliers, understanding the technology and the code of the UID labels is essential to compliance. First, suppliers must allow for space for the various kinds of UID markings, since readability is a requirement of MIL-STD-130. Additionally, the Part Identification Number, or PIN, of a product must be considered to allow easy integration into the standards of MIL-STD-130.

Understanding MIL-STD-130 requires familiarity and experience with its implementation. ID-Integration is a leader in this field, having created various kinds of UID labels for use in DoD applications. The basics are important to understand, but the specifics of MIL-STD-130 are essential, and no one knows them better than ID-Integration.

Tuesday, October 13, 2009

Understanding UID Marking With Special Reference to MIL-STD-130

In today's global market, efficiency is a focus for saving time, effort, and resources, no matter the industry. The Department of Defense is no different, and has implemented its own guidelines to maximize efficiency with the immense amount of goods in its inventory across all of its branches and organizations. MIL-STD-130 is the regulation that establishes the standards for Unique Identification, or UID marking. These guidelines ensure a uniform approach to UID marking, making it easy for the government to track its inventory, and making it essential for suppliers to understand.

UID marking is the process of labeling items with codes that are unique to each item. According to MIL-STD-130, there are a few acceptable forms of UID marking, and understanding the basics means understanding their importance to your organization. First, a UID marking must be, of course, unique. This is possible by the specificity of the coded information contained in such a label. Each label must include three pieces of important and identifiable information: the Enterprise Identifier, or EID; a serial number; and a Part Identification Number, or PIN. The EID labels the organization of the manufacturer or supplier. The serial number is a traceable number dedicated to the item, and the PIN identifies its relationship to the whole item to which it belongs. These three pieces of information are essential for a compliant UID marking.

There are two kinds of UID marking. First and most preferable is the Machine Readable Information marking, or MRI. This is the preferred method because it is easily standardized and can contain more information encoded in the marking than is readable with the human eye. The second is a human readable marking. Both must contain the three aforementioned pieces of information, but the MRI can and must contain more information, specifically about the item's history and prior labeling. An important quality of both kinds of UID marking is durability. The UID must be able to be read for the entire lifespan of the item. For different materials, different kinds of UID are best suited, including engraving directly on the item. Another important aspect of the UID marking is accessibility, since it must be able to be viewed by machine or by the eye.

Since the specifics of the UID label may change according to the type of item labeled, it is important to fully understand the requirements of MIL-STD-130. No one knows these requirements better than ID-Integration. With a proven history of creating UID solutions, ID-Integration can customize a label for any kind of product to meet the needs of both military standard and your organization. While the basics of MIL-STD-130 are important, it is imperative that you consult an expert, and in the field of UID marking, there is no better expert than ID-Integration.

Wednesday, October 7, 2009

UID Nameplates: Guaranteed Compliance with MIL-STD-130

MIL-STD-130 is a military standard that governs the markings of military property. This standard ensures uniform labeling of all items in use by the military. A guaranteed way to comply with this standard is the addition of Unique Identification codes, or UID in the form of UID nameplates.

UID nameplates offer durability and security, two hallmarks of MIL-STD-130. First, their durability is possible through the use of steel; brass, copper, or alloy plates that will not rust or wear down, guaranteeing the life of the UID for the life of the item that is labeled with a UID nameplate. This is important because the standard has very specific requirements for a UID on an item. To comply with the standard, the UID must outlive the item it identifies. Any item that is labeled with a metal or alloy UID nameplate is sure to be outlived by this durable tag, and this longevity guarantees both meeting the requirements of MIL-STD-130 and ensuring a long term solution for labeling any piece of equipment, machinery, or product. Additionally, the standard requires that the UID must be visible during the course of normal operation. A UID nameplate meets this demand for two important reasons. First, UID nameplates can be customized to any size necessary, ranging from plates able to fit small parts and products, to placards that identify machinery and heavy duty equipment. Second, the durable plates can withstand more than other means of labeling that might be subject to weather and wear. UID nameplates can withstand both, and ensure visibility by being able to be affixed to a wide range of surfaces.

UID nameplates are also extremely secure. They are a single piece of machined metal or alloy, and do not allow for alteration or tampering. This is also important for MIL-STD-130, because the standard places strict requirements on the appearance of UID nameplates. First, a nameplate must be in a standard, non-serif font. This means the font should have no terminators or lines on the ends of letters (for example, there should be no perpendicular line on the bottom of the letter P). This is an easy requirement to meet for UID nameplates, which are extremely customizable. Second, the text must be at least 0.2 centimeters large, or 0.08 inches. The aforementioned flexibility in size and shape of UID nameplates means this is easily achieved for any item.

The durability and security of UID nameplates make them an ideal solution to comply with MIL-STD-130. No one knows this solution better than the experts at ID-Integration. Their experience with both MIL-STD-130 and UID nameplates means guaranteed compliance with this sometimes-complex regulation. Consult ID-Integration for your UID nameplate solutions to make sure you meet all the requirements of this military standard.