Industrial marking in the service of Automotive

For all industries, especially Automotive, it is necessary for manufacturers and retailers to ensure traceability, control and quality for their products. For this, all regulations require that every single component be marked so that it can be traced from the moment of production to its final destination, while guaranteeing its warranty and quality. As in other industries (such as medical or aerospace) but more specifically in the Automotive sector, all surfaces must be marked without damaging or altering the characteristics of the material itself, so marking must be done in a way that does not have any structural impact on the part.

How can I mark Automotive parts?

Laser, microdot, strike, roll, smear, hot stamping and electrolytic systems markers are the most widely used technologies for permanent marking of cars, trucks, motorcycles or other vehicle components with information such as serial number, lot number, production coding and company logos.

All automotive components must be marked. Why?

1. To comply with national and international regulations that require vehicle manufacturing companies to mark chassis with a special identification number (VIN number), which carries information such as place of manufacture, manufacturer's name, brand name, engine size, year of production, and so on.... Engines-and not only them-must also be marked with a special coding. In other words, all Automotive components must be marked.
2. For branding/marketing purposes, every component must bear the manufacturer's mark, such as on tires, cylinder heads, car windows and so on ...
3. For warranty, as required by the markets and applicable laws. All useful warranty information (date of sale, serial number, product name, and so on ...) must be indelibly marked on the surface of the component
4. To provide information about the product itself ( material, dimensions, usage) or to make it usable (notches, piston tolerances, and more). For example, brake discs on which the minimum usage thickness is marked.
5. To protect against counterfeiting that is also seriously affecting the automotive industry. Marking components with sophisticated technologies can ensure the originality of the components themselves
6. To make the component more attractive to the target market. Industrial marking can make a product or component more attractive, and this is especially important for parts such as steering wheels, light clusters, gear knobs, briars, or other details.
7. For civil and criminal liability in case of defective parts and, of course, to protect against defective parts from other manufacturers.
8. For component traceability required by contemporary industrial processes and to comply with Industry 4.0 directives.
9. To make a component unique. Customization is also becoming increasingly popular in the automotive sector, particularly for car seats, leathers, numbering for special series, limited editions or other customized data.