Other then Barcode? 3

[dskarupa]

I need to be able to track parts the only thing is I don't think I can use barcode because the rack will go into a 375 F degree oven. Can anyone Help?

 

[nbucska]

How many/hour, with robot or human, what is the product
-- or at least what is it like?

<nbucska@pcperipherals.com>

 

[IRstuff]

It's got to come back out sometime, doesn't it? ;-)

Is it not possible to scan barcode before and after oven step? Most of the process tracking documents I've seen usually locates the components just prior to and just after a process step. I've never seen a need for scanning a part during a process step.

TTFN

 

[xyzz]

IRstuff, I think you misunderstood what is the problem.
There is no need to scan barcode in the oven, but the code itself will be damaged there.

Dskarupa, if the parts are in some reasonable pattern and do not displace when in the oven, try to find a way to remember each part's location and reapply the barcode after passing the oven.

 

[IRstuff]

Why would the barcode be damaged, unless it got scratched or melted?

There is no reason that you can't make an oven-proof barcode. The standard laser marking system could probably do that pretty well.

375°F is not very hot, there are oven enamels that will survive that kind of temperature and more (550°F).

Even standard military IC marking ink can easily handle about 302°F

The standard barcode reader simply needs a reasonable contrast change to affect a reading of a barcode. That means that even a surface texture change, which is pretty much laser marking machine does, will give you a barcode medium.

TTFN

 

[chakorules]

Use steel DOWEL PINS and Proxes to read the dowel pins. Arrange the DOWEL PINS to represent a binary number. Track your pallets by binary numbers.

Balluf makes a KILLER six position dowel pin reader pack for cheap....




Chris Elston
Automation & Controls Engineer

http://www.mrplc.com

Download Sample PLC Ladder Logic Code
at MrPLC.com

 

[Innalytical1]

I wouldn't give up on bar code either.

You could also consider pin stamping the bar code matrix onto the part if the part can take that kind of treatment and it is large enough. It would be a lot cheaper and more reliable than laser marking. (Been there - done that! The laser marker is very expensive and takes a lot of TLC to keep operating.) If your standard bar code reader can't read the pin-stamped bar code you can get a bar-code specific vision system that is not too expensive.

How much data do you need to track? This will determine the best type of bar code.

 

[nornrich]

Dear dskarupa,

I worked for a CRT manufacturer and we tracked the pictures tubes through all parts of the process, including through a frit oven at 450 deg F. This was done using a ceramic barcode tag. You can check out many different suppliers at

http://www.barcodelabelsource.com/ceramicbarcodelabels.asp.

Regards,

Rich.....

Richard Nornhold, PE
nornrich@redrose.net