Lighting up time

In a bid to provide full product traceability and help protect against counterfeiting, manufacturers are turning to ever more sophisticated technologies. Traditional marking methods such as engraving, dot matrix and inkjet have been superseded by laser marking.

To meet customer requirements and comply with the

(FDA) regulations,

, market leader in the manufacture of stainless steel and titanium parts for the orthopaedics industry, has to give every item it manufactures a cradle-to-grave alpha numeric mark — which cannot be removed or obliterated by any substance.

The mark includes the part and serial number, the product description and sometimes a logo, which it has to achieve without affecting the inherent integrity of the product or the base material. The mark has to be achieved on very small parts, some as small as a 1/4in (just over half a centimetre) in diameter. A further, obvious, consideration is that marking must fit comfortably within the existing production process and be affordable to both install and operate.