Crucial Aspects of UID Nameplates

UID nameplates should meet the standard of the MIL-STD-130. There are various criteria mentioned in the standard for the marking of the nameplates.

Generally, UID nameplates and the labels are used with the items where the direct part marking is not suitable. Unique item identifier is mandatory for the DoD items for it has become a part of their item management process. However, there are certain criteria for the marking and construction of the nameplate that must be fulfilled to get accepted by the Department of Defense. The instructions for IUID marking of the nameplates have been mentioned by in the MIL-STD-130 N and the contractors are required to follow the instructions while manufacturing the nameplates.

The Materials

There is no specification mentioned for the materials of the UID nameplates. The contractors can provide metallic or non metallic nameplates. The DoD has allowed the use of any strong material for the construction of the nameplates. The nameplates can be of same material as the item or may be different. But, it is essential that the material of the UID nameplate shouldn’t affect the functionality of the item.

Durability

Durability is one of the significant aspects of UID nameplates. The MIL-STD-130 has made it mandatory that the UID marking of the item should be permanent for the functional lifetime of the item. The nameplates affixed to the parts or the items should remain with it for ever. That is the reason the nameplates are attached to the items with the help of screws, or quality adhesive. Once the items are tagged, they are known with their UID for the rest of their life.

Strength

The contractors are required to design the UID nameplates so that the nameplates can withstand the any environmental condition, heat and chemicals. The items are used for different function in different environmental conditions and at different temperature. Sometimes, different chemicals are used for the cleaning process of the items. The UID labels affixed to that particular item should be able to resist these things.

Compliance with MIL-STD-130

For the Department of Defense, the criteria for the UID marking and UID nameplates have been mentioned in the MIL-STD-130 N. according to the standard, the material, marking and the affixing process of the UID nameplates should not affect the item or its functionality. Even, the marking of the UID nameplates should meet the MIL-STD 130 standard. As the UID data are submitted to the UID Registry by the contractors after verification, any deviation from the standard will result in rejection.

UID Data

UID data are the important part of item identification. The data on the UID nameplates should be clear and unambiguous. There are two construct options for marking the UID data. The data on the nameplates are entered in the form of 2D datamatrix codes. The machine readable codes are decoded with the help of barcode readers. There is limitation to the size of the nameplates as well as the data.

UID nameplates are crucial for marking the items with IUID for the use of Department of Defense. However, it is important for the contractors to construct the nameplates that match the MIL-STD-130 standard.

Analyzing Printer Features for IUID Marking

IUID marking plays a critical role in asset management for the Department of Defense. Hence, choosing the right kind of printer for the marking is critical for the contractors and vendors.

IUID marking is the fundamental of IUID asset management process. The contractor or vendors, who use the printers for IUID labels, must pay attention that the IUID markings should meet the DoD requirements. In such a scenario selecting the right kind of printer makes a lot of difference to the IUID marking operation. Although many types of printers are available for the operation, the printer that is feasible for the purpose should have some criteria for quality marking.

Printing Methods

Basically, the thermal printing is done with direct-thermal and thermal-transfer models. The thermal-transfer is a better option for IUID marking as it creates better-quality and long-lasting images on the IUID labels. In the industrial environment and multiple industries the method is being used for its durability.

Compatibility

While selecting the printer for IUID marking, the vendor should ensure that the printer can contain the media sizes required for the labels. It is also important for the vendors that they can supply the UID labels with marking that can resist heat, chemical and abrasion in the correct sizes.

The importance of compatible media can be observed in the long run. With the use of non-optimized media the IUID markings there are risk of the markings getting fade over time or become illegible. The protective coating and label adhesive may not work the incompatible media may also lead to failure of IUID marking.

Performance

The Data Matrix symbols of IUID marking require diverse printing operations. Hence, the printer that can produce variable Data Matrix symbol can be more useful. It is important that the vendors should check if the printer is able to meet the UID label output requirements, especially when they use automatic label operators and it requires high volume of printing.

The printer performance also includes print resolution and symbol sizes. Printers with high resolutions are better options for the IUID marking purpose. It is the responsibility of the vendors to ensure that the selected printer can satisfy the specific needs of the organization.

Convenience of Use

The labor and time required for the printing operation is determined by the printer design and operation capabilities. For many DoD contractors, IUID marking is a crucial part of their work assignment. Hence, the printer plays a key role for them and they should judge the reliability and productivity of the printer by analyzing the ease of changing ribbons, loading labels and clearing simple errors. The printer that can minimize the maintenance and management tasks of the system administrators is the best option for IUID marking.

Host Compatibility

For the UID operation of the IUID marking it is important to have host compatibility of the printers. The data for the UID labels are shared for different management purpose with the WAWF application. With the Remote management system the administrator can take advantage of networkable printers for upgrades and troubleshooting.

The printer for IUID marking should have media support, connectivity, and ease of use. Basically, the vendors should choose the printer that can support the IT infrastructure and other operational needs of the organization.