The need to mark parts or assemblies with some sort of identification code is becoming more and more important to facilitate quality control, supply chain management, brand protection, recalls and regulatory compliance.

Whether it is text, numbers, bar codes or even just a pattern to aid identification, producing clear, accurate and long-lasting marks on wire and cable is becoming increasingly important.

A surveillance camera in a retail store is designed to zoom in with laser-like precision to focus on people and merchandise. A race car is designed to handle crowded straightaways and steep turns with speed and agility.

From logos to part numbers and bar codes, part marking plays a significant role in today’s manufacturing process.

At Hitachi Metals Automotive Components USA LLC (HMAC), suspensions, exhaust manifolds and other components are assembled every day for all of the world’s leading automakers.

Microsecond fiber lasers have been used successfully to cut hypotubes and stents for many years. While these lasers are precise and fast, they have a downside. Parts cut with them require several post-processing operations, which add cost and can damage delicate parts.

The wave of automotive recalls this year underscores the importance of putting identification codes on products. Without such codes, consumers would not know if their vehicles were safe, and automakers would not know where or when problem parts were made.