NASA-HDBK-6003C, NASA TECHNICAL HANDBOOK: APPLICATION OF DATA MATRIX IDENTIFICATION SYMBOLS TO AEROSPACE PARTS USING DIRECT PART MARKING METHODS/TECHNIQUES (20 JUN 2008)

NASA-HDBK-6003C, NASA TECHNICAL HANDBOOK: APPLICATION OF DATA MATRIX IDENTIFICATION SYMBOLS TO AEROSPACE PARTS USING DIRECT PART MARKING METHODS/TECHNIQUES (20 JUN 2008)., This handbook is approved for use by NASA Headquarters and all NASA Centers and is intended to provide a common framework for consistent practices across NASA programs. Recognizing that manual data collection and keyed data entry were inefficient and error-prone, NASA adopted bar code in the mid 1980’s to upgrade its operations. It soon became apparent that collecting the identity of the part from a symbol marked directly on it would be optimal. Bar codes were determined to not be suitable for direct part marking (DPM). NASA established a team to work with industry to develop and test machine-readable two-dimensional (2-D) symbols designed to be applied to non-paper substrates. This 5-year effort resulted in selecting the Data Matrix symbol for use in NASA applications and provided proof that 2-D symbols are reliable and can be applied to most aerospace materials without impacting performance. NASA findings spurred additional testing by the Department of Defense (DOD) and private industry that resulted in selecting the Data Matrix symbol for parts marking by the Automated Identification Manufacturers (AIM) and the American National Standards Institute (ANSI). Additional part marking standards quickly followed as the automotive, electronics, pharmaceutical, and aircraft industries adopted the symbol. These industries, including NASA, have relied heavily on the use of cast, forge or mold, engraving; electrical arc pencil; electrical-chemical etch; embossing; hot stamp; rubber ink stamp; stencil and silk screen; vibration-etch; and add-on tags for part identification marking. These marking methods, originally designed to apply human-readable markings, do not provide the fidelity required to successfully apply micro-size (1/32-inch to 15/64-inch square), highdensity machine-readable symbols. Their manual operations also added to the large number of data transposition errors associated with paper-based manufacturing systems. Understanding these weaknesses, the parts identification industry began to refine existing marking methods so they could be utilized to apply 2-D symbols. The manual metal stamp and embossing technique methods were replaced by dot peen machines. Automated micro-profilers were designed to replace the manual cutting wheel used to produce paint stencils. Photo stencils and thermal printing materials were developed to replace the direct impact electrochemical marking stencil materials. Desktop publishing systems were developed for the production of stencils. Ink jet machines were built to replace rubber stamps. Laser marking systems were designed to replace the electric-arc etch and hot stamp processes. This Handbook and its related Standard, NASA-STD-6002, Applying Data Matrix Identification Symbols on Aerospace Parts, were developed to provide NASA and its contractors with instructions to safely apply Data Matrix identification symbols to aerospace parts using these new DPM methods and techniques. Both the Standard and the Handbook were created by representatives from major automatic identification and data capture (AI/DC) manufacturers, Government and aerospace user groups under a collaborative agreement with NASA.