Data Matrix Code Marking on Metal
Codes marked into the part, not stuck onto it. Data Matrix, QR and UID symbols laser-applied to metal so they survive heat, oil, chemicals and washdown. Every code scanned before the part ships.
New to direct part marking? Start with the industrial marking overview or the complete marking guide.
Why mark the part instead of labeling it
A label is only as durable as its adhesive. On a part that gets degreased, baked, painted or handled for a decade, that is not long.
Survives the process
Laser marks do not delaminate in solvent, lift in an oven or peel at a washdown. The mark is part of the metal.
No second operation
There is no label to order, store, apply straight or replace when it falls off. The code goes on during marking.
Readable for the life of the part
Serialization, warranty and recall all depend on the mark still being there years later. That is the whole point of direct part marking.
Code types we mark
The symbol should match the scanners already in your plant. If your team scans it every day, they should be the ones who choose it.
| Code | Where it fits | Practical note |
|---|---|---|
| Data Matrix (ECC200) | The industrial default. Square 2D symbol used for part IDs, UID labels, electronics and anywhere the mark has to survive the life of the part. | Usually marked 8x8 to 26x26 modules on our parts. |
| QR Code | Larger payloads and phone-readable marks. Good for field service, asset tags and anything a technician scans with a handset or a phone. | Needs more surface area than a Data Matrix for the same data. |
| UID / DoD format | Construct 1 or Construct 2 UID marks with human-readable text and the 2D symbol in one pass, laid out to the drawing or MIL-STD-130 layout you supply. | Layout comes from your drawing, not from us. |
| Linear barcodes | Code 128, Code 39 and similar, for shops whose existing scanners read linear symbols only. | We will tell you if your code is too dense for the space. |
What makes a code actually readable
A code can look crisp to your eye and still fail a scanner. These are the four things that decide whether it reads in the field.
Cell size and density
Every module has to be big enough for the scanner and for the way the part gets handled. As a rule of thumb, keep modules at or above 0.010 in (0.25 mm) on parts that see handling, and larger on parts that get cleaned or refinished. Shrinking the symbol to fit a small boss is the most common reason codes fail in the field.
Contrast
A scanner needs a difference between the mark and the surrounding surface. On stainless, a black annealed mark reads well. On polished aluminum, a shallow mark on a mirror surface reads badly, so we often switch the method or the placement rather than the code.
Quiet zone
The empty border around the symbol is part of the code. Machined edges, threads, radii and coatings too close to the symbol are a reliable way to make a perfectly marked code unscannable.
Placement and curvature
Flat, accessible and away from wear surfaces. On curved parts the symbol needs to stay readable from the scanner angle your line actually uses, which is worth mentioning before we mark it.
Six reasons codes fail after marking
We see these on parts that were marked somewhere else and came to us to be fixed. All of them are avoidable before the first cut.
How code marking runs
You see a scan result before production, not after.
Send the drawing and the data
Mark location, size, the code type and the content. If the codes vary per part, send the spreadsheet.
We check the mark is readable
Before the run we mark a coupon or a first part, scan it and tell you the result in plain numbers rather than "looks fine".
You approve the first article
Photos and the scan result go to you. Nothing moves to production until you sign off.
Run, verify, ship
Every code on the run is scanned. Failures get re-marked or scrapped, never quietly shipped.
Variable data is normal
Send a spreadsheet or a serial range and each part gets its own code. We do not charge a setup fee to change a serial, because there is no tooling involved.
Related marking services
Metal Traceability Marking
For teams building the record behind the code: serials, lot and heat numbers, mark survival through heat treat and plating.
See traceability markingIndustrial Metal Marking
The full capability overview: materials, marking methods, part marking, coating removal and logo marking.
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