Standard for Identifying/Marking Bar Stock in Machine Shop 4

[JobShopEngineer]

I've been looking around, with no success, for a published standard or at least an industry accepted standard for identifying bar stock. I worked in a two man tool and die shop in high school where the amount of bar stock we went through was so low that it could easily be tracked by simple segregation on a shelving unit. Now, I'm three months out of college and one month into my career at a job shop, where the amount of bar stock we process is quite large. There current system now is, there is no system. I was originally tasked with building a storage rack for the round bar stock coming in the door, then the project expanded from there. Now it is to reorganize/reinvent the entire bar stock storage system.

Back to my original question though...are there standards out there for marking bar stock (specifically round) with paint or marker?

Thank you for any help that is offered up. I'm so glad I found this website a month into my new job, there is a wealth of knowledge here.

- JobShopEngineer

 

[JobShopEngineer]

MintJulep, probably looking at paint markers/pens rather than paint cans.

ornerynorsk, thanks for saving me some research.

I appreciate all the feedback I received from this thread, I really didn't expect this many responses.

R. J. Hughes
versafab.com
New Kensington, PA, USA

 

[JobShopEngineer]

Found this from Alro Steel, for anyone still interested.

R. J. Hughes
versafab.com
New Kensington, PA, USA

 

[jbeckhou]

When our material comes in, we give the material our own heat number. The marking is hard stamped or etched. All pieces "used/cut" are marked at the saw or machine. If you use a lot of carbon steel, paint the area white, then hard stamp or etch, this way you will be able to see the markings later, since the stamped area will rust.

Petrotrim Services

http://www.petrotrim.com

 

[JobShopEngineer]

What about for the smaller diameter round bar? We see a lot of material under 1/2" in diameter.

R. J. Hughes
versafab.com
New Kensington, PA, USA

 

[jbeckhou]

We would use a tag

Petrotrim Services

http://www.petrotrim.com

 

[JobShopEngineer]

Like a sticker or something?

R. J. Hughes
versafab.com
New Kensington, PA, USA

 

[jbeckhou]

Yes, sticker or use a box and tag the outside.

Petrotrim Services

http://www.petrotrim.com

 

[MechEng2005]

If using a paint pen, you could have different marks. If you typically use bar in 1/8" increments, you could write roman numerals with the number of eighths on each (1/8" = I, 1/4" = II, ... 5/8" = V, etc)

 

[shamgarbrett]

Our company uses a material inventory system. After material is received in, it is marked with a lot number based on the date received and has a brief material description. We use adhesive labels with a barcode. Material on a pallet gets at least one tag to identify the lot. Inventory is managed in our ERP database. I realize that as a new employee, trying to suggest a major system implementation is unlikely to succeed, but perhaps they already have considered ERP. Just one more reason to look into it.

good luck