Unique Identification: Some Facts to Know

Security is a major factor for the U.S. Army. That is why the US Army has established a very efficient identification program for all property that it owns and manages, as well as for all the supplies that it requires. This program, known by most professionals as a UID program, is a highly effective item unique identification program. Certain rules have been formulated to mandate this process and today all products, supplies, and parts used by various offices of the U.S. Department of Defense are required to contain compliant UID markings. Complete explanations of these processes and their requirements are available within current MIL STD 130 guidelines. According to MIL STD 130, all property and supplies owned by the U.S. Department of Defense; including those items stocked, purchased, manufactured, and transported must possess a permanent and compliant UID marking.

This UID mark not only enhances basic traceability of supplies and assets, it also improves the ability to manage overall security and safety. Every product a contractor supplies to the DoD must fulfill UID compliance; meaning that the products must contain UID markings. In addition to possessing the UID mark or tag, there are very specific guidelines supplied for compliant nomenclature. Complete requirements are outlined in MIL STD 130 guidelines.

According to MIL STD 130 every product should have a label that will display its UID number and manufacturing data. This identification is also required to be permanent and able to endure harsh environmental conditions and weathering. Today’s UID labels are required to be long lasting and durable – in fact, these markings are required to sustain the full lifetime or maintenance cycle of a given product. Most manufacturers prefer to either mark MIL STD 130 compliant identification directly onto the part in question, or affix a permanent metal or plastic tag to an item.

If you are an entrepreneur who depends solely on business with the Army, then you are required to be very serious about the UID compliance of your products. If the rules and regulations of MIL STD 130 seem to be pretty difficult and complex you may wish to seek the help of an experienced ID solutions provider such as ID integration, Inc. They will provide you expert interpretation of these rules and regulations for MIL STD 130 compliance. They will also make sure that all your products fulfill demands of the requirements of MIL STD 130 compliance. Getting the right help, is an easy way to greatly reduce your stress regarding UID compliance. To gather more knowledge on UID and MIL STD 130 you should visit: http://www.id-integration.com/uid-marking.htm. ID Integration, Inc. offers a wide range of identification solutions to help you meet compliance and also streamline production processes while improving profit through efficiency.

UID & MIL SPEC 130: Know the Facts

A UID, or item unique identification, is an endeavour to manage the supplies that the U.S. Army receives. It stands for unique identity and tries to make all transactions, distribution, and maintenance of various products easily traceable. Therefore, UID compliance is a requirement for all the suppliers of the U.S. Army. Now, with such a system in place, there are also many guidelines that explain these processes; including MIL SPEC 130 and MIL-STD-130. As directed by the Department of Defense (DoD) all suppliers are required to comply with UID standards when manufacturing products or parts for use by the U.S. Government. Because these UID requirements have a big impact on security, the U.S. DoD follows MIL SPEC 130 guidelines quite strictly. These MIL SPEC 130 specifications apply to any items that are purchased, issued, manufactured, or transported by the U.S. Military.

Almost every product that the Army controls requires unique identification numbers, except for those items, which already contains item unique identification such as the VIN and serial numbers on most vehicles and cell phones, for example. MIL SPEC 130 also specifies the way that the UID is to be applied on the products. They specify the materials and the approved methods for marking this UID information on a variety of products. Most often, MIL SPEC 130 instructs contractors to use unique identification number plates of durable materials for permanent tagging. The guidelines advise these suppliers to use strong metal plates, or stiff plastic UID tags that will withstand harsh conditions and weathering. Some manufacturers prefer to mark this information directly onto the part saving on consumables costs. Today, there are many proven marking methods that are capable of meeting compliance; including YAG laser marking, programmable indenting equipment, and even permanent inkjet printers that can be installed directly onto production lines for efficient and automated marking.

Durability of marked information is of primary importance for UID compliance and it’s well understood that these markings or tags are required to remain legible throughout the full lifetime of every part and product. The UID plates have to outlast the products, and they are also required to survive extreme weather conditions. Mil spec 130 also directs the suppliers to attach the unique identification number plates in the place where they are most likely to be seen.

UID marking is mandatory for all contractors and suppliers of the U.S. Department of Defense. If manufactured, or distributed, products fail to fulfill this unique identification compliance then they may face rejection and the eventual loss of valuable Government contracts. Therefore, every DoD supplier should take the issue of UID compliance seriously. For expert assistance, visit the experienced professionals at ID Integration, Inc. These integration experts can quickly advise you for complete MIL SPEC 130 compliance and can complete your UID solution in a manner that helps to increase production, decrease errors, and streamlines your manufacturing processes. Learn about unique item identification and MIL SPEC 130 by visiting ID Integration, Inc. online at, http://www.id-integration.com/docs/specs/UID_Basics_101.pdf.