The
practice of marking parts and machines has been a vital part of manufacturing
process in almost every industry that exists. Where in past instrument marking
was all about branding oneself to stand out, presently it is more focused
towards the traceability and identification of parts for ensuring quality.
Component
identification and traceability is crucial in the aerospace industry for two
reasons; one to ensure that parts are rightly installed and can outline their
respective historical documentation and two, to deal with aircraft catastrophes
related to counterfeit parts. Federal Aviation Association (FAA) defines the
specifications and requirements to the manufacturers for aerospace markings.
The process
of component marking is very difficult for every industrial manufacturer but
when it comes to aerospace industry, the complexity is twice more. This is
because there is an intricacy of various geometrical shapes, super alloys and
advanced metals.
Moreover,
in aerospace industry, it is about not only traceability and identification but
manufacturers also have to be conscious about the accountability of the parts
as they are critical to the safety and performance aspects of the aircrafts. This
explains why, unlike other industries, the aerospace industry gives preference
to quality over speed. Hence, the markings need to be clear and permanent
having absolute precision.
Over the
years, various aerospace industry markingsolutions have been introduced to make the process of component marking
simplified and accurate. Let us examine some the methods that are used by the
manufacturers:
Electrochemical Etching
Electrochemical
etching is used to create marks on conductive metal substances. It produces a
sharp and clear mark without causing any damage or distortion to the metal
surface. First, an image is created on stencil and then it is moved to the
metal part using electrolyte and electric current.
Dot Peen Marking
Dot Peening
is a direct part marking that uses a carbide pin to mark the surface. This is
done by striking the carbide pin electrochemically against the surface that
gives it a series of dots forming digits, texts, codes and 2D datamatrix codes.
Inkjet Marking
Inkjet
marking works by ejecting drops of ink onto the product surface in do-matrix
format from a close distance. The message to be marked is programmed in the
device without bringing the surface in to contact as it moves during the
process. It is ideal for uneven production information on different surfaces.
The speed and distance between the surface and inkjet device is crucial in this
technique.
Laser Marking
Laser
marking is the most favorable choice of manufactures in the aerospace industry
because of its precision and effectiveness.
It encompasses a variety of marking tasks such as engraving, foaming,
coloring, ablation, etc. The newest advancement brought to laser technology is
the fiber laser marking that is trusted for its accuracy and cost effectiveness.
It makes the complex task of marking aerospace parts very simple. It can
produce high-contrast enduring marks without requiring any maintenance
These aerospace industry marking solutions
have evolved over the years understanding the shortcomings and weaknesses of
old marking methods such as manual metal stamps, rubber stamping, embossing,
etc. The modern day methods have allowed the manufacturers to maintain
compliance with the strict marking regulations and specifications of FAA to
ensure quality and safety in the aerospace industry. For more information visit
