Application of laser barcode technology to sheet metal parts identification

Abstract

Purpose: In the development of ideas for Industry 4.0, information about the element production cycle has become more and more important. Knowledge of the subsequent forming processes, determination of the machine on which the process has been carried out and of the type and wear of the tool, leads to smart production management, which plays an increasingly important role in the metal forming industry. To meet the current expectations for these challenges, an advanced technology needs to be introduced for monitoring the manufacturing processes by deploying flexible solutions. This technology must include, but not be limited to, identifying and tracking the product using laser marking. Design/methodology/approach: Laser marking allows a permanent mark in the form of a barcode to be applied to the sheet metal surface. Commonly used marking methods and the condition of the sheet metal surface can affect the marking contrast. This paper presents a concept for recording individual stages of sheet metal forming and determination of the impact of the laser marking technology on the contrast of the applied barcode. To ensure accurate control of the deformation stages, the bulging process of the spherical dome has been used as an example. Findings: Analysis of the influence of laser marking method on the barcode recognition accuracy can contribute to the development of smart management of the production process according to the idea of Industry 4.0. Research limitations/implications: A large plastic deformation has been applied to the sheet metal surface and no limitation in a barcode reading process (using vision scanning technology) was indicated. Also, the geometry deformation (different angle view of the CCD camera) of the barcode image has introduced no additional problems with a barcode reading. Originality/value: The optimal parameters of a laser marking technique for barcode marking, which are critical for the material that is subjected to metal forming operations that deform it, have been studied. The results shows that traceability is an attractive solution for tracking technological data in the production chain for a single-shaped product. Keywords: manufacturing control, laser marking, vision analysis, sheet metal forming, barcode quality. Category of the paper: Technical paper.