Saturday, August 25, 2012

The Importance of UID Verification

The UID verification process plays an important role in the unique identification process. This process ensures accuracy of the marking process. Before nameplates come into use, a product manufacturer has to go through a verification process to ensure that all identification is within compliance guidelines. All government manufacturers should be registered with the Central Contractor Registration (CRR) prior to obtaining registration rights for the IUID Registry. Once a contractor receives these credentials, they will have the ability to log into the Registry for future data submission. Shipments with improperly identified and labeled parts are subject to refusal and even cancellation of contracts. Be certain to maintain full compliance by exploring innovative and helpful UID verification solutions.

Data and codes required for UID compliance:

• Serial number/Part number of products
• Manufacturer’s codes/enterprise numbers
• Details of the delivered products
• Details of the used data format

Function of UID verification devices

Verification devices basically perform two types of functions. These are:
• Verifying identification (machine readable formats)
• Quality checking of nomenclature and overall legibility

Code verification

Verification devices are able to read data and codes. Today’s verifiers are often able to verify if a nameplate contains the proper data, codes, and nomenclature. Verification devices can track the accuracy of the encoded data, font, size, numbering, and printing position. There are a number of affordable verifiers on the market currently. These are convenient and can be kept on-hand at any manufacturing location for improved compliance.

UID quality checking

Internal or external quality evaluations should also check the durability and permanence of all marks and nameplates to be resistant to weathering, harsh chemicals, and general wear and tear. Marks must remain legible permanent for the full lifetime of the represented product or part.

Unique identification marking specifications allow two types of data formats. These include 1D data and 2D data matrix. 2D data matrix format utilizes machine readable information that’s delivered in a small, condensed code. Under these guidelines, all the information given in this data format must pass through certified UID verification devices.

How do these verifiers ensure long-term compliance?

As per DOD rules, each code should be unique and permanent. To meet DOD demand, unique identifying labels contain machine readable information. Verification devices have the potential to detect even small defects in these codes. These products ultimately ensure accuracy, quality, and compliance success.

For long term compliance, it is essential to have a reliable verification device on-hand. When you have a verification device at your business, you can easily distinguish any faults or defects. Owning a data matrix verifier makes compliance much easier. Learn more about data matrix verifiers by visiting ID Integration, Inc. at www.id-integration.com.

Ensure Product Quality and Compliance within the UID Registry

The entire UID process emphasizes how to achieve specific and unique marking quality. The choice for UID marking procedures is most often approved by the United States Department of Defense (DOD). The DOD requires every military item and asset to be uniquely marked. Uniqueness is the main objective of product identification. The UID process has set guidelines to ensure uniqueness, legibility, and durability of nameplates and tags. A manufacturer or contractor must go through a registry process to ensure the uniqueness of a marked item. The UID Registry requires all nameplates to fulfill guidelines as outlined in MIL SPEC 130 and other relevant resources.

Objectives of the UID Registry

• To ensure product traceability.
• To ensure authenticity of government property.
• To secure the privacy of an organization.
• To reduce cost of item management.
• To ensure safety throughout maintenance.

The UID Registry requires a number of crucial data. The manufacturer must first obtain MIL SPEC 130 compliance prior to qualifying for registry submission. One must provide the following details for compliance:

• The type of product or parts one is liable to supply.
• The type of identifier that has been used to mark the product.
• A valid part number and serial number of the delivered item.
• Issued agency codes along with the enterprise identifier code number.
• MIL SPEC 130 sets specific depths, widths and lengths for each nameplate. During registration, one must provide details of these measured units.

Lack of compliance with military specified guidelines may lead to cancelled contracts.

Searching for help?

Today, there are a number of UID software solutions for DOD applications. These solutions help manufacturers to better integrate equipment for automated identification and data collection. Such improvements in automation can often assist these companies in achieving and maintaining compliance while also increasing production speed and quality. UID software enables these companies to eliminate the chance for human errors, while maximizing the potential by streamlining crucial production processes.

The UID Registry plays a major role in ensuring improved assets management and safety. In fact, the U.S. Department of Defense has greatly influenced much of the commercial market to implement similar identification and tracking standards to ensure consumer safety in the pharmaceutical, packaging, and other industries. To learn more about the benefits of registration and the unique identification process, log on to ID Integration at www.id-integration.com.

Tuesday, August 7, 2012

Become UID Compliant and Track Your Investments

Product tracking is an essential requirement of business no matter the type of business. A business needs to track its products for several important reasons. A few of these reasons are listed below.

• Helps a business measure its assets.

• When a business knows its assets, it becomes easier to maintain them.

• Asset tracking helps in the process of product distribution and thus reduces product waste.

• UID solutions often help a business to streamline their production processes for increased safety and output.

The UID marking process tries to provide each nameplate with specific codes. These codes are created and authorized after a number of crucial steps. The recommended marking process includes the coding process, data validation, data verification, and many other processes. Each of these methods is guided by a set of rules and specifications. Standards like MIL STD 130, MIL STD 129, ISO 16022, ISO15415, and AS9132 regulate each step of the marking procedure.. Following these guidelines will ensure greater compliance and success in most U.S. Department of Defense applications.

Why are UID nameplates unique?

UID nameplates are unique because of strict UID regulations. Each product manufacturer must go through an official registration process. To obtain UID registration, a manufacturer has to submit the detailed information of the delivered product. As such, a manufacturer or product supplier must mention:

• What type of product it is

• Specific information regarding the use identifier

• Enterprise codes and issuing agency codes

• Part/serial number of the ordered item

• Initial cost and item acquisition cost of a product

• Details of the nameplate including its size and printing features

Unique features of nameplates

Each nameplate features distinct characteristics. The codes used on each label and tag differ from one another. Each of the labels and tags has to contain a part number and a pin number. Every nameplate is characterized with specific part and pin numbers. Apart from these codes, nameplates must meet the rules of MIL STD 130. This standard provides detailed specifications for marking methods, coding, data formatting, and other important processes.

• Laser printing, programmable stylus indenting, chemical etching, embossing, engraving, and inkjet printing are recommended marking procedures.

• 1D data matrix format is recommended where 2D data matrix is not applicable.

• Each nameplate has to pass quality testing before the registration process.

Nameplates help with product identification, tracking, and management by providing globally unique codes. If you want to track your company assets and investments, learn more about UID marking and nameplates. Visit www.id-integration.com to learn more about UID Basics.

Learn More about UID Basics for Better Compliance

It can be difficult to provide the many details of unique identification basics in just three or four paragraphs. UID marking procedures are complex and consist of many crucial rules. These basic rules focus on every aspect of the item marking process from material selection, the printing or marking methods, reader technology, registration, and data verification processes. MIL SPEC 130 is the recommended standard for DOD unique identification marking.

Basics relating to material selection

According to MIL SPEC 130, metal plates like aluminum, stainless steel and other non-metallic counterparts, like polyester nameplates, are approved. This standard permits the usage of engraved, cast, and stamped nameplates along with laminated, photosensitive, and even laser generated plates. For small items (that offer no space to very little space for marking) these plates can be attached in the form of a tag or cable band.

Basics relating to the marking process

MIL SPEC 130 allows a vast number of marking procedures. The most popular marking applications are given below.

• Metal stamping is the most recommended marking method. Metal and non-metallic plates that can toil the stamping pressure are allowed to use this marking procedure.

• Other than metal stamping, some recommended methods include programmable stylus indenting, engraving, chemical etching, embossing, laser marking, industrial inkjet printing, and others.

• Metal and rubber tags, as well as permanent decals, are allowed when other methods fail to create unique item marking.

Registration basics

The product suppliers and manufacturers have to undergo registration. They have to provide a unique manufacturer’s or enterprise number along with part number and product number. The manufacturer has to provide details of the marked item during data invoicing. This data is often transmitted through a wide area workflow.

Data formatting basics

Both types of 1D data matrix and 2D data matrix are allowed during the UID product marking process. However, 1D data format is only permitted only when 2 D data format is not applicable. The standard permits both human readable and machine-readable data. For each type of data, it is essential to pass through the data validation and data verification process. Data validation is done using bar code verifiers. Data verification is done to ensure printing quality and other necessary aspects of unique identification. It is important to use specific types of barcode readers and scanners recommended by these regulations.

To understand more basics of unique identification processes and MIL SPEC 130 guidelines please visit ID Integration online at www.id-integration.com.